Devilish Lover
by Najouafan
Summary: It all happened in a fresh morning on a hot summer day. Touko thought that she would lead a peaceful life but she will realize soon enough that something "devilish" was making its way to her.
1. Chapter 1: From Stranger to Danger

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon nor any of its characters, they all belong to Nintendo.**

**So this is my second fanfic and I still feel new to this. Well if you (by any chance) want to read the continuation then you have to wait. (Yeah, I can be pretty lazy but I will upload the next chapters as soon as I finish them so be patient. Well in ay case just enjoy the story and review if you like .**

**Chapter 1****:****From stranger to danger**

It was a hot summer day when Touko woke up. She got out of bed with a yawn and was stretching her arms when she heard the sound of her Xtransceiver ringing. She took it and saw through her half asleep eyes a familiar face on the screen.

"Hey Bianca, what's up?" "Hi Touko. I was wondering if you'd like to go shopping with me and-"Before she could finish her sentence, Touko sighed and finished the sentence. "And Cheren?" "Yeah how did you know?"

Touko really hated how Bianca always spoke or acted like a real airhead but maybe she actually **WAS** an airhead. "Well because you and Cheren are always together? After he had lost to the Pokémon League Champion Alder you went to his house to comfort him and after that day you two started going out. And even if I do go with you, I wouldn't feel at ease, I would feel like a third wheel of a motorcycle."

Bianca rolled her eyes and gave out an annoyed sigh. "So? If that bothers you so much then why don't you bring a boy with you? Oh, yes, you should bring N with you."

The moment she heard his name she felt shivers running down her spine and her heart beating like it was going to emerge out of her chest. She took a deep breath and answered. "I can no longer see him. He…disappeared…remember? He left right after I won against him." She was surprised at how much these words were difficult to say. In fact, they were still hurting her. All the moments she spent with N started to flow in her head. Memories, that's what they were and she still couldn't accept that fact.

Bianca wore now a sad look on her face. "I'm sorry; I forgot about that, I thought he was still around." "No you don't need to apologize, I'm okay but I think I'll go fly with Zekrom a little bit. It surely will help me to clear my mind." "Okay but I'll just give you one last piece of advice, Bianca now seemed excited but Touko just thought that Bianca would say something only Bianca could understand. "To forget a lost love, you have to find a new love" Touko was now amazed at how these words came out from Bianca's mouth.

"Where did you get that from?" "I don't know, they just came out- but wait why did you sound so amazed right now?" she stated with narrowed eyes. "Oh I was just teasing you." Lie. Well sometimes it's better to lie than getting into unnecessary trouble and Touko didn't want any more problems.

"Ok well if you don't want to come then I'll be going, bye." "Bye Bianca" After saying goodbye Touko turned her Xtransceiver off and realized that she was still wearing her pajamas with Purrloin prints on it. She got dressed and went downstairs.

There she saw her mother, whistling a song that can be heard on the speakers in all of the Pokémon centers. "Mom, I'm going out for a while." Upon hearing this, her mother turned around and followed her to the door. "Touko, I have something to say to you." said Touko's mother with a singing tone but Touko just opened the door and replied, "Sorry mom, I really have to go you can tell me that later ok?" With that she closed the door in an "I don't care manner" leaving her mother speechless. "Well I have to tell her when she returns, he too will be here." A smile of excitement flowed down of her lips.

As soon as Touko stepped outside she called out Zekrom from his Pokéball and flew away on him. There she was flying in the sky, not caring for the destination and remembering, what Bianca said to her before.

"To forget a lost love you have to find a new love", she mumbled to herself "Okay, that's good and all but how can I find a new love so soon?" Suddenly she spotted a park underneath her and decided to land; there she noticed that she was in the White Forest. She looked at Zekrom and began to pat his head gently, feeling the mild breeze waving in. The relaxing moment broke down when she heard a voice calling. "Look out!"

Touko turned her back to look where the voice came from. As soon as she turned, a Frisbee hit her right in her forehead, causing her to lose her balance and to fall to the ground. She opened her eyes and saw the sky above her. When she tried to stand she felt a pain in her head and held her right hand to her forehead to resist the pain. A hand appeared above her head, inviting to accept its help; she took it and was lifted up by it.

As she stood straight she looked at the person across from her. It was a boy about the same age as her, he had short brown hair, big sparkling brown eyes, he was also wearing a typical Pokémon trainer clothes and…had a big fake smile on. Touko instantly knew this type of guy, they would throw a Frisbee at you, you fall, they say they're sorry and help you stand up and ask for your phone number and all that with a big smile, which's most of the time fake.

"Sorry about the Frisbee, are you okay?" He asked worriedly. Touko was not sure if he was really concerned about her. Touko looked down at the Frisbee and saw that it was an aerodynamic kind; those are good to train the speed of certain Pokémon. Suddenly Touko felt angry. Why? Well because: 1. she lost the one she loved, 2. she hated the fact that Bianca was always bragging that she has a boyfriend and 3. She hated this guy for throwing a Frisbee at her when finally she was having a moment to relax but hey it hurt terribly! Time to explode~

"Hey can't you pay more attention, there are people out here who have problems in their lives and need to relax and they surely don't need someone like you to throw a damn Frisbee at them, it really hurts you know!" Ah, it felt so good to let it go. The boy started to laugh. "Whoa, calm down, it's not entirely my fault, it's yours too for having such a **BIG** head." He emphasized the "BIG" loudly so that it would irritate Touko even more. She couldn't believe what she heard. Big head? No one ever said something like that to her.

"Hmm, she told me you were bad tempered but I never thought it was at this point, well I have to go, I've seen enough of you. Pay more attention next time **BIG** head." Touko wanted to reply something to him but it was already too late, he had already flown away with his Pokémon. "What a conceited jerk, Zekrom next time you see him could you blow him up for me please? Zekrom looked at her with a confused look but nodded to approve.

Touko arrived at home just in time for lunch. When she opened the main door the fresh smell of fried fish entered through her nostrils and she coughed at the terrible smell she hated. _"Oh man, I hate fish" _she thought. "Mom I'm home and don't think I'll even touch the fi-."Oh Touko, finally you're here, I have great news!" "Are they so great that you have to do the dish I hate the most for this occasion?" "I'm getting MARRIED!" Touko felt her eardrums pumping heavily; her mother literally shouted the last word in her ears.

"You're getting what!" "Married! And that's not all." Oh no, what now? What could possibly be more surprising than that? Fish, on the day she announces that she's getting married? Of course, something fishy is mixed with the marriage thing. Touko was getting more and more nauseous the more she thought about fish and the smell didn't help her either.

"Please not more." begged Touko. "Yes, there's more" Touko looked over her mother's shoulder to look at the person who just said this and surprise, surprise! It's the jerk from this morning. "Mom, what is he doing here in **my** house, in **my** kitchen and with **my** mother?"

Her mother looked at both of them with a confused look. "Oh do you already know each other? Well that's great! So you already met your brother to be!"

Upon hearing "brother" Touko stood motionless with widened eyes and an opened mouth. "It isn't as bad as you think; Touya here is my fiancée's son, he is really sweet and nice. I'm sure you two will get along just fine. Touko continued motionless. "Hmm, I think she froze" stated Touya with a devilish grin.

After a moment she recovered her senses and burst out "There is no way in hell that you're going to be my brother!" Touya went from a devilish grin to a fake smile. He held her hand and brought it to his lips. "I'm sure we'll be getting along just fine, dear sister."


	2. Chapter 2: Living with the Devil

**I don't own Pokémon, they belong to Nintendo, blah, blah, blah you know the rest.**

**So this is Chapter 2 and I know that the story is going at a slow pace but I just don't like rushed things xD. Anyways just notice that the italic sentences are thoughts or dreams and so on... I'm sur you've noticed. So just enjoy and review :)**

**Chapter 2: Living with the devil**

Touko was lying on her bed and staring at the ceiling. She raised her arm and looked at the hand that Touya kissed. "I think it's gone, I washed it a dozen of times. Just thinking of having the feel of his lips gives me shivers" She shivered. Suddenly she heard a knock on the door.

"Touko I'm coming in." The door opened and Touko's mother came in. "Touya's gone." Touko sat up on her bed excitedly. "Oh, is he dead?"She asked with sparkling eyes. "Touko's mother frowned. "No, he just went home. Touko, I'm sure he didn't throw that Frisbee on purpose and he isn't that bad is he?" Her mother smiled, hoping for her daughter to share her opinion but Touko wasn't ready to give in.

"_Oh Mom, you don't know how he really is, he acts like an angel in front of you but he's really the devil in person!"_

"Just so you know he and I will never get along. Look how he behaved today, he knew fairly well that I hated fish and there was only one steak in the serving plate and guess what he did? He ate it all without even asking me if I wanted some. Even if that wasn't enough why did you have to tell him all about my childhood? He laughed so loud that the neighbors could have heard." She took a deep breath. "To summarize it all: I hate him."

Touko's mother breathed in and turned her back to Touko. "So…I think you won't like it when I'll say that we will all live together? She almost whispered the last part and she closed her eyes waiting her daughter's answer.

"We…WHAT? No Mom I can't and I won't do it" Touko pouted. Her mother let out a small sigh and turned to her daughter. She stroked Touko's hair and smiled. "It won't be that bad, I promise." After saying those words she walked slowly out of the room.

Touko let herself fall on the bed. It wasn't that bad to have a new family. Her father died when she was still young and therefore she couldn't have any siblings. To have Touya as her brother wasn't the end of the world but yes, the end of her social life. Then the thought of being woken up by Touya everyday popped in her head. She immediately woke from her thoughts. "I must stay sure that my room is faaaar away from that devil's room."

*-*-* Saturday *-*-*

"What am I doing here?" Touko sighed heavily. She was standing in front of a huge mansion in a wealthy neighborhood. It wasn't too far from her neighborhood but she never thought her soon to be family was that wealthy. Her mother had the great idea to "force" her daughter to move into the new house this Saturday so here she was.

"You're belongings are already in your room, so don't worry about that." Touya appeared behind her after he had locked the car with his keys. Even though he doesn't look like it, he really is eighteen years old while she was just seventeen. He then opened the front door and stood aside from it. "Ladies first" he indicated with a courtly manner from his hand the way Touko should follow.

"Why do I have the feeling that you're going to do something weird?" "Oh, I wouldn't dare." Again that devilish grin. Touko looked at him with narrowed eyes. "Well, whatever." She walked past him and there suddenly she felt a hand brushing against the side of her neck. Immediately she jumped away from the touch.

"Why did you do that?" A small blush appeared on her cheeks. "Did you know that the neck is a very sensible place in a woman? Of course that's not the only place." He wore a little grin. "Is that your pick-up line?" Touko asked with a very monotone voice. "Hmm, you figured it out quite well. Interesting…"

"Yeah, well could you show me my room so I can lock myself into it and never see you again?" Touko crossed her arms. "Ok, ok just follow me."

Touko followed Touya upstairs. Along the way she noticed that the hallways were filled with photographs of Touya and his father. She tried to spot a photograph of Touya's mother but she didn't saw even one of her.

"Say, why isn't there any photographs of your mother?" Touya stopped abruptly causing Touko to bump into his back. "Ouch, why did you stop so suddenly?" "Because we're here."

Touko glanced at the door. It was painted with a plain white color. Touya then opened the door and Touko immediately went in.

The room was about twice the size of her old one. Almost all of the furniture was white and the King-size bed occupied most of the room, along with the closet. "Amazing." Touko's eyes were sparkling at the new room she got.

"My father said that you could decorate it as you wish so feel free to **sabotage** your new room." Touko glared at Touya who was still standing outside the room. "Well it's good that I know that our rooms are far away from each other." "Euhmm, about that…" "What about it?" A feeling of uneasiness started to rise from her stomach to her heart. Touya stepped aside and pointed to a black door across from her room.

"Wait don't tell me-"Instead of finishing her sentence she ran to the black door even though she knows what she will find won't please her. "She opened the door and stood frozen. Her intuition was right. It was Touya's room and even if she wasn't sure she could always look at the bold letters that said "Touya" hanging on the walls. His room was exactly like hers except that almost all the furniture was black and the floor was invisible under his messy clothes.

"My father thought that it would be a good idea to place your room across mine, so that we could get close because you'll soon become my dear sister." Touya appeared behind her and leaned against the wall. Touko turned to face him. "Don't call me "dear sister", I don't want to be related to you in any way" She was starting to leave when Touya called from behind her. "I'll just give you one last piece of advice. Be sure to lock your door at night, you'll never know what I might do to you." He smirked and returned to his room. Touko's eyes twitched. "How am I supposed to put up with this jerk?" She sighed and returned to unpack her belongings.

Later that night Touko tossed and turned in her new king-size bed. She was dreaming about _that_ day.

"_Are you really leaving?" She asked with teary eyes. "I know about your feelings but I can't accept them, not yet. I want to see the world; I want to understand the relationships between humans and Pokémon better and to do that I have to go and leave everything behind." He turned his back and started to walk towards Reshiram but he suddenly stopped when he felt her arms around him. "Touko…"_

"_I don't want you to go. Please stay here, N" She sobbed heavily. He grasped her arms and took them off him gently. Touko fell to her knees and lowered her head still crying and not wanting to look one last time at the face of the only man she ever loved. He turned his head one last time. "Goodbye". The last thing she heard was the sound of Reshiram flapping his wings and fly away._

She flinched. Somehow she felt a small puff of wind in her face. She had still her eyes closed and was right between sleep and awake. There another puff of wind brushed against her face. No, this couldn't be the wind, she was sure that she closed her window last night. Slowly she opened her eyes and the moment she saw where the wind was coming from, her face stunned.

"Good morning dear sister!" Touko was nose to nose with Touya's face. "Ahh get off me" she pushed him off with all her morning strength. "Don't you have any delicacy?" Touko scolded at him and looked the opposite way, feeling embarrassed. _"Damn, how could I forget to lock my room?"_

Touya who had fallen was groping his back, looking for eventual bruises from his fall. "Ouch it hurts. I didn't know you liked to be rough." He rose up his devilish smile on his lips and Touko immediately grabbed a near lying pillow, ready to fire it at him. "I am armed with a pillow and I will not hesitate one second to use it."

Touya got up and waved his hands. "Before you kill me with your pillow, I wanted to say that my father wants to meet you. He came in late yesterday and therefore couldn't meet you but he's downstairs and sent me to get you." He headed to the door and glanced one more time at her, grinning. "Oh and I can see your bra."

She instantly threw her pillow at him but he had already closed the door. "You jerk!"

She went downstairs and headed to the kitchen. She didn't memorize all the layout of her new house but she only remembered the places that she would need to use. Arrived in the kitchen she spotted her mother who was cooking the breakfast, the devil who was biting in an apple and an unknown man who could only be her mother's fiancé. She noticed that he looked exactly like his son, just older.

The man turned around and as soon as he saw her, he ran up to her and hugged her tightly. "Ah, finally I can catch a good look at my soon daughter. If you need me to do anything just ask ok?" He was still clutching to her like a chewing gum in your hair, leaving Touko barely any air to breath. "Well, you could let go and let me breath. That would be nice thank you."

He released her with an apologetic smile. "Haha I'm sorry. Sometimes I get too excited." His gaze suddenly stopped at her head and then he began to pat it. "Oh, you do have a big head just like Touya told me but maybe it's because of your hair?" Everyone laughed except for Touko who felt miserably embarrassed. She glared at Touya who shrugged, trying to demonstrate that it's not his fault.

"_This …is my downfall from heaven to hell. Someone please save me!"_


	3. Chapter 3: Reading between the lines

**Disclaimer: Like always I don't own Pokémon or any of their characters. Please don't go after me! xD**

**Chapter 3 Yay! This Chapter has a lot of things in it and has a Ferris wheel episode! But seriously though I don't know how many chapters there will be. It can stop here or at the next chapter it depends on how many people read it. Anyways enjoy reading it and review if you like it.**

**Chapter 3: Reading between the lines**

Sunday morning. Touko was sitting on a bench with half asleep eyes. "Why do I have to do this? I could be sleeping in my comfy bed right now but someone had to ruin it." She sighed and looked to the floor, remembering how she ended up here.

*-*-* Yesterday at dinner at the Summers Mansion *-*-*

They were all together eating at the table and tonight's dish was… fish. _"Not again! How I hate this!"_ Touko looked at the plate in front of her. The fish had still its eyes wide open and the more Touko looked at it, the more she feared that the fish would suddenly jump out of her plate. Next to her sitting was Touya. He was excitedly eating his fish and constantly saying how much he loved it.

"_So that's why…"_ Touko finally understood why he was doing everything to oblige her mother to cook fish for dinner. He wanted to irritate her.

"You did it on purpose didn't you?" she tried to whisper but it came loudly on the table. "What are you talking about dear sister? He looked at her innocently. "Don't try to talk your way out of it, you know exactly what I'm talking about. It's right in your plate." she hissed at him.

"And here they go again." Touko's mother said followed with a heavy sigh. Touko started to argue with Touya and their parents looked at each other. Touko's mother nodded to Touya's father.

"Ok kids calm down. Touko's mother and I had a great idea." The two teen stopped arguing and looked at Touya's father. "You two know that we are going to be a family soon so we had the idea that we could spend a day together in the amusement park in Nimbasa City! It will help us to understand each other better." "But I can't go because I have to run some errands to it will be just the three of you." Touko's mother apologized.

*-*-* Today at Nimbasa City *-*-*

Touko had tried to convince her mother to let her stay home but her mother was merciless and had to push Touko out of the door to force her to leave.

As she was looking to the ground, she saw another shadow across hers. "What are you spacing out for dear sister or should I say big head?" Touya laughed. Touko rose up from the bench and narrowed her eyes. "Would you stop calling me with these stupid names?" "What would you like me to call you then? Darling perhaps?" He showed his devilish smile.

They were starting to argue again when finally Touya's father came with the tickets. "Kids I hope to spend a wonderful day with you." _"Yeah the wonderful moment for me will be when we get home!"_ Touko thought angrily following the two men into the park.

Each year they had upgraded the park so that it could be more enjoyable to the citizens. The roller coaster in the Gym was replaced by simple stairs that went up and down. Why did they replace it? Well because apparently a lot of Pokémon trainers were sick or collapsed due to the rides before they could reach the Gym leader. In the end they made a bigger rollercoaster in the amusement park. Now there were tons of other attractions too.

"So, where do you guys want to go first?" Touya's father asked. The teens shrugged. This was Touko's first time coming into the new built amusement park even though she tried the Ferris wheel quite often with a blue haired trainer who would always scream he would die every time they reached the top. She always got bruises from fingernails because he held onto her arm all the time.

Noticing the perplexed faces of the teens Touya's father suggested, "Why don't you try the haunted house? It's the nearest attraction!" They walked towards the attraction but suddenly Touya's father stopped. "This is as far as I'll go." He smiled to Touko who wore a stunned expression on her face. "But why? I don't want to go with him alone!" _"Who knows what he might do to me in the dark?" _Bad thoughts started bouncing in her head. "No you absolutely have to come!" Touko begged.

Touko's father just smiled innocently. "I'm sure this will help your relationship get better. Anyways I'll wait at the end, so have fun!" He walked away leaving an open mouthed Touko behind.

"Wait here I'll go get the tickets and then let's go and meet the darkness!" He send her a last devilish grin and went at the end of the queue to the ticket booth.

Touko stood frozen but soon a voice called her name and broke the ice. Touko turned and saw her two childhood friends.

"Bianca! Cheren. Are you on a date?" Touko approached them. "Of course, we wouldn't miss this beautiful sunny day without a date would we?" Bianca said before kissing Cheren on the cheek. He blushed and then looked around Touko. "Are you alone here?"

"Oh no, I'm with my soon to be stepfather and *cough* brother *cough*." "Hmm someone here doesn't like her soon to be brother." Bianca poked Touko's cheek. "If you only knew him. He's the devil in person." Touko crossed her arms. "What's his name? " Bianca asked cheerfully. "Touya."

Bianca widened her eyes. "What's with that look?" Touko turned to Cheren. "Don't ask me. I don't know him." Soon Bianca snapped out of it and replied. "Say, Touya as in Touya Summers?" Touko nodded. Bianca's eyes widened even more now. "Spit it out Bianca! Did he break out of jail or something like that? Surely I wouldn't be too surprised if he had done it."

"You never heard of him? They call him: Devilish Lover!" Bianca exclaimed. "Devilish Lover?" Touko repeated. _"He? Why would they call him that? Oh wait I got my idea. It's surely because of his flirty nature isn't it?"_

"Every woman has heard of him at least once in her lifetime. Every second woman has already gone out with him due to his handsomeness. They call him "Devilish Lover" because he has the famous "devilish smile" who let's every girl fall for him every time they meet it." Bianca held her fingers together and made a heart shape with them. Cheren looked at her suspiciously. "You aren't interested in him are you? " Bianca looked at him and poked his cheek. "Of course not! You're the only one!"

"And of they are to their love-love world." Touko sighed. _"But still the "Devilish smile?" _Touko laughed quietly. _"Impossible, the devilish smile he gives me is a whole different one right? Euhm right…?"_

Suddenly Touya called her and showed her the tickets from the distance. "Sorry guys, I have to go." Touko was starting to leave when Bianca grasped her arm. "Hey bring him with you at the shopping mall tomorrow. You're still going right?" "Of course I am but why should I bring that **devil** with me?" Touko asked irritated. "Just bring him and you'll see." Bianca winked at her before returning with Cheren to their date. "This is really weird. What is she planning?" Touko ran towards Touya who was still waiting for her at the entrance of the attraction.

Touko finally reached him out of breath. "Finally you're here. Who were **those** guys anyway?" Touko noticed a little irritation in his voice. "Well you know, I do have friends if you haven't noticed." She crossed her arms but Touya just laughed and turned his back. "I never said the opposite." These were those kinds of conversations who didn't go anywhere and just let Touko more confused. We could say that it was one of Touya's strategies to let her get irritated.

They walked in and complete darkness surrounded them. There were still dim light glows from the spotlights but Touko felt uneasy. "Whoa it's really dark in here." Her voice trembled a little but Touya still noticed it. "I didn't know you were afraid of the dark." Even though Touko couldn't see him she knew that he had put on his "famous" devilish grin.

"_I'm more afraid of what you might do than the darkness in here!"_ She thought fearfully.

They were moving on slowly when suddenly something grabbed at Touya's shirt and he was the one who let out a scream. "What the hell is tugging at my shirt?" "Calm down it's me!" Touko exclaimed and at the same time tried to muffle her laughter. He looked at her quietly. "Why are you tugging at my shirt?" "Because I don't want to be lost in here. By the way, I thought you were the brave on here."

Touko laughed harder unable to muffle her laughter any longer. Touya let out a "whatever" and continued walking but it was clear that Touko won this time. As they walked a little further a paper ghost suddenly appeared. Touko screamed and ran away scarred by the sudden emergence of the fake ghost. "Touko wait!" Touya shouted after her but his voice didn't reach her. "Who's the coward now? Anyways I'll deal with that after I find her."

Touko wandered around trying to avoid the more "ghosts" possible and finally reached the end of the attraction. Arrived into the fresh air she let her fall to her knees and sighed. "Finally I got out. Oh, that's right where's Touya's dad? He said he'll wait at the end." She looked around trying to spot someone she recognized and ignored the fact that a searching Touya was still in there. "Green hair?" She saw a man with green hair in the distance and without thinking any longer ran towards it.

"N-"She was about to grab his arm when the person turned. "Could I help you?" The person was indeed a man but not the one she thought it would be. She apologized and returned to the attraction feeling slightly disappointed. _"Of course, it just couldn't be him."_

After a few minutes Touya's father came and after another few minutes came a pissed Touya out of the attraction. He scolded loudly at Touko who ignored him. Touya's father tried to calm the quarrel suggesting that it would be a great idea to eat something.

They sat at a table on a balcony of the "Poké Café". Touko and Touya both ordered ice cream and Touya's father a simple coffee.

Touya suddenly got up. "I have to go to the restroom. I'll come back." "I'll appreciate it if you would never came back." Touko said without looking at him. Touya smiled at the statement and counterattacked. "Just be careful not to gain any more weight with all that ice cream. That's your second one right?" He shot her a mean glance. Touko opened her mouth to answer to his provocation but Touya's father stopped her by touching her arm gently.

After Touya was out of sight his father began to speak. "Touko could I ask two little favors of you?" Touko looked up at him and nodded. "First one, could you call me daddy?" Touko choked on her ice cream. "No way." She answered him coldly and he just laughed. "Haha, a little joke before we become serious." Upon hearing the word serious she looked up at him again and noticed the serious expression on his face.

"What do you think of Touya?" "Can I be honest?" "Yes go on." Touko hesitated a little while then blurted out. "I don't like him one bit. He's like the devil in person!" Touko looked the other way and waited for Touya's father to persuade her that Touya isn't so bad like her mother said to her before. Touya's father smiled and put a hand on her shoulder.

"I know why you might think that way but he wasn't always like that. He was a very kind and calm kid. One day his mother left us to pursue her own desires. After that Touya completely changed. He didn't want to see his mother again and threw all her photographs away.

"_Photographs? Now I remember I didn't even see one of his mother hanging on the walls."_ Touko thought.

"What he thinks and says aren't always the same. Sometimes he says things he didn't even thought of saying. The truth is always hidden behind his words. Therefore you have to be able to read between his lines to understand what he really meant to say." Touya's father continued.

"When I asked him about his mother, he looked like he didn't want to answer. Do you know why?"

"Well, every time I asked him about his mother he would always ignore the question or change the topic. It seems like he doesn't like her and not only because she left us. That's why I'd like you to find out why he hates his mother so much." He sighed and looked at her with puppy eyes. "But I don't know why he would tell **me** the reason why he hates his mother. And anyway I don't like him so I don't think I'm the right person." Touko looked at the melting ice cream in her plate. It's true that he'd avoided the question about his mother back in the mansion when she first moved in and now the feeling of curiosity was making its way to her head.

"Touko, I wouldn't ask you if I wasn't sure you could do it. You experienced a similar pain as him at an equal age when you lost your father and I think you're the only one who could understand him right now. I tried so many times and didn't succeed. Please would you do me this favor?" Touko closed her eyes and remembered the day her father died in an accident. She was still young and didn't quite understand it back there and over the years she came to understand these feelings of losing someone. She was never alone but Touya… Were there even people who stood beside him and comforted him? Was this why he's different? Because he's all alone?

Touko slowly opened her eyes and nodded confidently to herself. "Ok, I'll do it but I don't know what the outcome will be and therefore I won't promise anything." _"It'll be like a little challenge!"_ She smiled at Touya's father. He hugged her joyfully. "Ah, wait-. Can't breathe!" Soon after Touya came and they got out of the café.

"We've got time for one last ride kids! Where would you like to go?" Touya's father felt that the teens wouldn't respond this time either so he continued. "What about the Ferris wheel?"

Touko looked up and saw the Ferris wheel not too far from the place they stood. They walked towards it and when they arrived they were surprised that there was no queue in front of the ticket booth.

"Touya could you go and get the tickets? Just two would be enough." Touko looked at him with a disbelieving look while Touya went to get the tickets. Touya's father noticed it and leaned closer to whisper in her ear. "This will be a great occasion to ask him about his mother. I'm counting on you." Before she could object Touya returned with the tickets. He looked at Touko. "I'm going in." He turned and went to sit in the gondola.

Touko stopped and hesitated a moment. Touya's father sighed and then took Touko by the shoulders, catching her off guard, and pushed her into the gondola. "Wait-. What-. I-." She didn't have the time to finish her sentences as the door closed. "Have a nice ride!" He waved at them as they moved higher.

Touko sat down quietly and looked at Touya who was sitting across from her. _"Do I really have to ask him now? No, he would probably just avoid it like last time." _She kept thinking about what to do and Touya looked at her panicking face. "Are you so attracted to me that you start panicking?" His devilish grin appeared on his lips. She glared at him. "Who would like to be attracted to you?"

"You know there are a lot of girls who would love to be in your place."

"Yeah I heard of that they call you the Devilish Lover." Touya looked at her amazed that she now knew about his nickname.

"Hmm, I suppose that your friends told you about me? What was the girl's name?" "Bianca, why do you ask?" He placed a finger on his lips and looked up thinking. "No, she's not on my date-and-leave list."

"Date-and-leave list? You're really a jerk do you know that." Touko said angrily. "Oh, I wouldn't call myself a jerk. I'm more like a King to all women."

Touko froze at the word "King". Long ago she felt exactly the same way about it. Yes, that one time when she rode the Ferris wheel with N. He told her he was the King of Team Plasma and she felt hurt because she knew that one day she would have to fight against him. She never wanted to do it. One day she felt like giving all the Pokémon training up but the faces of her sad Pokémon gave her the courage to continue. She really believed that after she had won against him, they could get together and forget all that rivalry but he left without telling her to wait.

"_Right he probably has someone else with him. He's never coming back again and I was so happy to see him again today and it wasn't even him. I'm pathetic. That's exactly what I am. He's…never…coming…back."_ She closed her eyes and felt a burning sensation in her eyes and the next thing she knew, she was crying.

Touya heard sobbing noises and looked at Touko who had buried her head in her hands and was crying softly. He could barely hear her whispering the words "I'm pathetic". "Whoa hey! Stop crying. Did I say something wrong? Wait what did I say exactly? Hey come on, I'm not good with these things. I always run away when a girl is crying." Touko continued crying.

Suddenly she felt someone tapping gently on her back. She let her hands fall and looked at Touya who was now sitting beside her, their knees touching and he tapping on her back, looking out the window. She wiped her tears and stared closer at Touya's face who still didn't notice that she stopped crying. His cheeks were painted with a faint blush _"Is he actually embarrassed?"_

She decided to speak first. "Why are you comforting me?" He looked at her and noticed that she stopped crying. "Wh-What? You stopped? I-I was just trying to keep the noise down and anyway don't think that what I did means anything." He carelessly walked to the opposite bench. "He's lying. He really meant to comfort me. So this is what's called reading between the lines?" She giggled to her thought. It's true he made her feel better all of a sudden. Maybe it's not too bad after all.

Touya slightly embarrassed felt like he was being mocked by the girl across from him. "Aside from having a big head you have quite a large back. Not very cute for a girl right?" He rose up his most beautiful devilish grin. Touko froze for a second then stood up abruptly and pointing a finger at Touya shouted: "You are the most conceited jerk I have ever seen!" At that moment the door opened for them to get out and Touko trampled away furiously.

"_I take back everything good that ever crossed my mind about him!"_ Once more she failed to read between the lines. Will they ever get along?

* * *

><p>Haha okay I agree that "Summers" is really a random family name but hey it suits him! Stay tuned for the next chapter!<p> 


	4. Chapter 4: Hot and Cold

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon B&W.**

**Finally Chapter 4! I saw that lots of people were reading this story and it truly made me happy, thank you people! So, I was feeling lazy and all but then I saw the reviews and it directly gave me the motivation to keep writting, thanks about that too by the way. About this Chapter, I'll give you a hint, like the title says "Hot" and it's beginning with a hot event so start reading! Enjoy and review if you like. Happy reading!**

**Chapter 4: Hot and Cold**

"Why can't I stop to think about it?" Touko was awake and still lying in her bed; thought of the gentle tapping that Touya gave her yesterday at the amusement park. "And when I thought it was getting better, he provoked me!" She clenched her bed sheets with both of her hands. Then she slowly rubbed her eyes to take the last bits of her sleepiness away. Suddenly the X-transceiver that was lying on her nightstand began to ring and an envelope with the word "Mail" appeared on the screen. Touko took the X-transceiver and opened the mail.

"_**Good morning~~. I hope you haven't forgotten about today's plans. I'll be waiting in front of the fountain of the international mall with Cheren and you better take your future stepbrother with you! Oh sorry you don't like to call him that. Haha my bad so see ya~~. Bianca."**_

Touko gave out an annoyed sigh. "Even when she sends me a message, we can clearly tell her airheadness. But still why does she want me to take that _**devil**_ with me?"

She got out off bed and stretched her arms, glancing at her closet. Even though most girls her age would have tons of clothes to wear, she was a particular case. Aside from her usual white tank top combined with her gray vest and her jeans shorts, there was just some other plain clothes that she only wore at home, nothing that could be worn at a date or just a day out with friends. So this would be a great opportunity to buy new clothes, it's not like she was thinking of having a date so soon but she needed the time to start to think about herself. She definitely wanted to forget N and if going out with other boys was the medicine to heal her wounds, then she would gladly take it.

In the end she decided to wear her usual trainer clothes and the usual ponytail. Then she walked over to Touya's room and stopped in front of it. The black door was closed and Touko didn't hear any sound coming from inside. She took her time to prepare herself mentally and physically to meet the devil himself known as the "Devilish Lover". After a few moments of silence, she gave up the courage and started to walk away, trying to find an excuse for herself. _"Guess he's still sleeping, well I'll just go alone."_ Suddenly the face of an angry Bianca popped into her head.

There were moments where Bianca appeared to be very scary whenever there was something that made her get angry. These last few years changed her attitude quite quickly. Like that one time where some random guy kidnapped Bianca's precious Munna, she exploded with rage and sprinted after the guy and beat him nearly to pieces. Since that day Touko and especially Cheren acted carefully around her. Cheren didn't change that much. The only thing he changed was the color of his necktie and orange absolutely doesn't suit him, believe it.

Touko still couldn't believe how much the people around her changed. Not just her friends but her neighbors and family too. It was just two years ago that she stopped her journey and she admits that she changed too. She was more conservative and not too much of a talker but when she opened her mouth, she could convince a lot of people with just one word. That was something that N liked about her. Two years…and he still hasn't come back. Slowly she notices that more time passes, more she stops thinking about him. There weren't really a lot of memories about N and her, but it was still enough to make her cry at times. They weren't a couple and they probably never will. She still loves him but not enough to keep waiting and hurting herself with wishes that would never be granted.

Her thoughts came back to Bianca and her angry face. "Okay I guess I'll have to do it right? I don't want to see her running after me because I didn't bring that _**thing**_ with me." She mumbled to herself, returning to the black door, forcing herself to open the door of the devils den for her own sake and safety. She grabbed the doorknob and opened it without even bothering to knock. She opened her mouth to speak but completely froze when she noticed, Touya wearing only his track pants, leaving an exposed bare back. He was looking out of the window fixing his eyes into something that acquired all of his attention and didn't notice that Touko had opened the door.

Touko never realized that under the usual blue jacket that he usually wore was such a beautiful muscled back. She couldn't help herself but stare at his incredible back. True. It was after all the first time she was getting such a view and she didn't feel uncomfortable at all.

Suddenly Touya turned, feeling a breeze waving in from the opened door and touching his warm back. Now Touko was seeing his bare torso and observed it carefully. She noticed Touya's forehead was sweating and that there was a tiny drop of sweat falling all the way down his face. Touko followed the drop with her eyes when it finally reached his chest to slide even more down to his well muscled stomach. Touya let her stare for a while, observing her eyes as she stared to his chest, he assumed, no, knew that it was probably the first time that she was seeing a half-naked man. He showed his devilish smile, having an excellent idea to start his day.

"If you become a good girl then I could let you touch it." He teasingly touched his chest as he awaited Touko's outburst. "Wh-What! I-I was just shocked and no way am I going to touch you!" She closed the door firmly, embarrassed by Touya's comment. Touya smiled and crossed his arms; he knows that she will open the door again.

The door opened again just like Touya expected and Touko peeked in. "D-Don't get any ideas, I just wanted to invite you to go shopping with me and some friends." She said almost whispering. "Why would you invite me; I thought you didn't like me? Did you change your mind?" "Of course not. I still think you're a jerk. My friends were the one's that told me to invite you." She had half of her face hidden behind Touya's door. She absolutely didn't want to look at his body. So much she wanted to deny it, she had to agree that he was really handsome. But he still had that awful attitude, so it didn't change her view of him.

"Hmm", Touya looked at the ceiling still with his arms crossed against his chest, "Okay, I'll go." Touko was surprised by the sudden reply. She didn't think he would actually accept and honestly she was hoping he'd say no. Noticing that Touko was still by the door he rose up his devilish smile again. "Is that all or do you want to see me dressing me up too?" Touko let out a "Humph!" and closed the door for good this time.

After closing the door she leaned against it and felt her face getting warm. "Why am I heating up? Damn, why does he have to have a god like body?" She walked away, putting a hand to her mouth. She still felt embarrassed by Touya who was now probably feeling happy to have successfully toyed with her.

She went downstairs and said goodbye to her mother who was cleaning the living room. Then Touko walked out of the house and sat on the stairs in front of the giant ornamented granite front door of the Summers mansion. Every time she walked up and down these huge stairs, she still couldn't believe how much her life changed. Within a few weeks she went from a normal middle class teenager to a disturbed by her soon to be brother high class teen.

She heard the sound of a door closing behind her and she rose up to turn at the person who was standing a few feet behind her. _"Speaking of the devil. Here he is."_ She sighed hopelessly.

"They say that every time you sigh, a bit of your soul escapes of your body. I wonder if it's true." She gasped and Touya started laughing at Touko's scared face. Upon hearing him laughing she immediately replaced her scared expression by a death glare.

"Humph, I knew it!" Touko crossed her arms against her chest and outfaced him, pressing her lips together in a pout.

Touya muffled a laughter, and then he cleared his throat, catching the glare of the girl he loved to irritate at least that was what Touko thought. "Well then, shall we go?" Touya asked while taking his car keys out of his pocket.

"Why would I go with you if I have my own wonderful and loyal Zekrom?" She took out her pokéball and was readying herself to call Zekrom out when Touya stopped her with a single sentence.

"And where are you going to put your incredible amount of shopping bags?" At that instant Touko lowered her arm and turned her back to him, a mad aura was sparking around her. _"Why does he always have the right arguments? Even though he's right about the shopping bags…"_ After a long sigh of loss Touko accepted "kindly" to go with Touya's car.

Touya's car wasn't one of those sporty cars that drink all your money away on gasoline; it was just a plain model with no peculiar ability although the outside dress was kind of extravagant. It was the same car as the one Touya came picking her up when she had to move into the mansion. She had to admit that she was pretty scared the first time she drove with him. It's only natural to be scared when you're driving with someone for the first time right? Her hand was constantly gripping the door knob, ready to pull the door open in case something classified as "dangerous" would happen. Luckily nothing "dangerous" happened.

This was the second time she got into this car and there was something different about it. Touko immediately sensed the difference when she had opened the door. Something was floating in the air and she couldn't put her finger on it. Suddenly a name came into her mind. _"Men's women catcher: Cologne of Love."_ That was the name of a perfume she heard on TV. She heard Bianca saying that it smelled really good and it was true. The car was faintly filled with it and therefore she couldn't have figured it out immediately. This guy had actually a good taste for perfumes although the name is a bit insulting for the female kind.

Soon after they were driving on the fresh new built roads to the international mall. People where thinking more of them now and were building more roads, cars, stores for human needs and less Pokémon stores. Unova was being a more developed region, but even with so much things being changed, people would never stop to love their Pokémon.

Touko looked out the window, not wanting to have any eye contact or whatsoever that would make her feel uneasy. It was probably because of the accident of this morning that she was feeling like this. The thought of Touya's body appeared on her head. A blush formed on both of her cheeks and she shooed the thought away, trying to get something interesting from outside.

"I like how our generation is moving so fast forward to make humans life better. It was getting kind of annoying with all of these Pokémon stores."

Touko widened her eyes. She just couldn't believe what she just heard her soon to be brother say. She was thinking about how people love their Pokémon no matter how much this region changes and here he goes on about it being annoying?

"Did I just hear right? You sounded like you hate it." Touko stated with a sternly tone. "Don't you have a Pokémon too?"

Touya shook his head, still looking at the road. "That day when we first met I was training the Pokémon of my dad's most important client because he and my father were working on a serious project so he wanted me to train his Pokémon in the meantime. Of course I got money from it too. About the fact of me hating it, you're right. I don't exactly hate it though but I don't like it either, I just find it annoying."

Touko blinked in shock. In her journey she found people who loved and even could give up their lives for their Pokémon but never had she met someone who found it annoying. Touya noticed the shocked expression on her face from the corner of his eye and continued.

"You know I traveled on a journey too and met and caught a lot of Pokémon but never did I have a special bond to them. It seemed to work with others and never for me so one day I just gave up and told myself I couldn't make that bond appear like magic. You have to accept that there are people who will eventually come to hate Pokémon or find it annoying. That's just the way the world goes, there isn't love when there's no hate and vice versa."

"That's a shame." Touko looked down to her bare knees. "_It's really a shame even if it's him but wait…Did he just open up to me by telling me this? I think I'm on a good way to figure him out."_ She smiled to herself and was proud to have gotten a step closer to win her challenge but was also a little bit sad about the reality that Touya revealed her. The reality was there, he just opened her eyes.

They finally arrived at the mall and after parking the car they walked into the mall and tried to spot Bianca and Cheren. In the center of the mall was a big fountain and there they found the couple waving at them from the distance.

"Hey Touko! I knew you'd bring him with you." Bianca shouted cheerfully gathering all the attention from the nearby people passing.

Touko then introduced Touya to both of her childhood friends. Bianca kept asking him all kinds of questions and completely ignored Cheren who tried as hard as he could to enter their conversation, but it seemed like a thick invisible wall separated the two groups. After a while he gave up and started sulking in a corner of the square formed fountain.

"_Isn't this cute?"_ Touko thought smiling to herself. She was surprised how love could change one person so differently. Just watching how Cheren was acting and Bianca who gave little smiles to him when he wasn't watching made her heart melt with love. Sure, sometimes she just envied them and declined all of Bianca's and Cheren's invitations to spend the day together. They'll never know that she declines it with fake excuses so they could have all the time for themselves without feeling guilty to leave her alone at home.

Touko saw Bianca waving at Touya before she rushed towards her, gripping firmly on her arm and dragging her to the restroom. They left the two boys behind and now they were feeling the silence of awkwardness. It's that kind of feeling you have when your friends leave you behind with some recent person you met and you still consider them as strangers so the silence mostly reigns in that atmosphere.

After the long silence Touya began to speak, "Say, are you happy with your girl?" Cheren looked up at him from the place he was sitting and frowned. Was he actually trying to take her away from him?

"It's not something you should be concerned about." Cheren said calmly, not wanting to continue the conversation any longer with this type of person.

"Ouch, that was cold", Touya laughed, "Don't worry; I won't steal her away from you if that's what you think. I just go out with single girls; I don't want to snatch a girl who's already got a boyfriend. I could have all the beautiful single girls just for me, so why bother?" He sent his famous devilish smile to a group of girls who had been chattering and giggling anxiously at him since he arrived. Two girls among them fainted lightly and Cheren straightened his glasses, trying to hide his amazed look. "_This guy is amazing. I just hope he'll do as he said and doesn't get his paws at my darling bee."_

Back in the restroom, Bianca was telling Touko everything she heard from Touya. And when Touko meant everything, it was really everything! She even tried to imitate his voice but eventually failed to it and Touko couldn't help but to laugh at her, imaginatively in her head of course.

"So that's about it. What do you think? Any good information you could use?" Bianca's eyes sparkled. Touko however gave out a frustrated sigh.

"Bianca what you told me was his comments that he gave you from when you talked about your life! And did I ever say I needed you to do that? It was more like you were trying to flirt with him." Her tones implied a certain degree of angry and bother. Wait did she say bother? What exactly bothered her?

"Hmmm", Bianca observed Touko's face carefully, "When I talked with him it bothered you, am-I-right?"

"W-What! No, were did you get that idea?" Touko stumbled on her words and searched with her eyes something that could get her out of this embarrassing situation.

"I'm sure there's something between you, I can tell just by looking at the way you act. What, what, did you catch him half-naked already? You know it's only natural to bump in that kind of situation when you're living together." Touko widened her eyes and backed away from Bianca only to find a wall behind her. She felt Bianca getting closer and closer. Bianca was the type of person to pull everything out of people when she really wanted to know about their secret and with all the means in hand.

"Okay, okay, I-I saw him ha-half-naked. H-happy?" Touko finally gave in and even though she stuttered it out, she felt really good about letting it go.

"Ha! I knew it! If seeing him like that made you in such a mess then I wonder-"Touko cut Bianca off by putting a hand on her mouth. "Don't even think about it, it's not like I'm interested anyway." She tried hard not to blush but this situation was embarrassing enough to let her face become literally the relative of a tomato.

Bianca took Touko's hand away and rolled her eyes. "I was embarrassed too when I saw my Cherry pie half-naked for the first time but he just smiled and embraced me lovingly and then-" Touko managed to grab Bianca's arm and to drag her out of the restroom while she talked about her love life with "Cherry pie". Just thinking about the nickname Bianca gave Cheren made Touko giggle. Love must be great right?

Soon they were all four reunited again but suddenly they heard a voice on the speaker, _**"Sale, Sale and more Sale. We are now having a rush hour! Take your wallets out and shop until you drop with our 22 shops that are on Sale!"**_

After the voice stopped a huge crowd started to run in all directions. Touko was being pushed away by a crowd heading in the north wing of the mall but when she thought she was going to be dragged away a hand caught hers and she hold onto it until the crowd thinned down.

When she finally opened her eyes, she looked at the one who just "saved" her life. She knew immediately by the sky blue jacket that she got saved not by an Angel but a Devil. She shook her hand away and crossed her arms, not thinking one second about thanking him.

"Not gonna thank me?" Not getting a reply, he continued, "Never mind that darling, so were did our lovely couple go?"

"Didn't I say to not call me any names and most importantly not in public?" She continued to outface him and at the same time searching with her eyes any place that her friends could have gone.

"But I thought you didn't want to be called "big head" and "dear sister" so I found another one! It seems you don't like it either, you're really a complicated girl." He placed his hand under his chin artistically but Touko ignored him and started walking away.

"Hey, were are you going? Don't you want to wait?"

"Who said I wasn't going to wait? I'm just going to the ice cream vendor." She walked over to the ice cream vendor followed by Touya who also said he wanted to buy an ice cream.

"One strawberry ice cream, please." The vendor gave her the ice cream and took the money she handed him. While he was digging into his cash register to find some change, Touya was also digging into his pockets. Touko glanced at him and giggled at the panicked expression he wore when he finally figured out that he left his wallet at home.

He then looked at her with puppy eyes and tried his best (she could tell, he really tried his best) to let her pay for his ice cream. "Now it's time for revenge!" Touko thought mischievously.

"Forget about it, you'll never make me pay for you." The vendor finally handed her change and she walked away, leaving an abandoned puppy behind. The puppy or Touya anything you liked to call it now was following her all the way to the fountain and begging to just taste it.

"No way in hell!" Touko swirled her tongue all around the ice cream. "You know I could just snatch it away when you aren't eating it" Touya looked confidently at her, trying by all means to get the chance to just taste that damn ice cream. He was hungry and Touko could tell how much he wanted her ice cream so badly in his eyes.

"A'm nod daking ma dongue fom dis ice cream away." Still with her tongue attached to her ice cream she managed to warn him. She was not going to let this ice cream alone until she ate it all up. She inherited her stubbornness from her mother and how strong this stubbornness was! Thanks a lot mom.

While she was enjoying the ice cream she didn't felt Touya approaching her. He suddenly grabbed her hand that was holding her ice cream and licked it one time very slowly. At the same time he slightly touched a bit of Touko's tongue that still had it on the ice cream. When he was finished with his taste he cleaned his mouth with his sleeve and crossed his arms behind his back saying "I've won". _"Did he just…?"_ Touko stood frozen. She passed the image of their two tongues touching over and over again until her ice cream was completely snatched away by Touya who ate it all within a few seconds.

"What did you…?" Touko was completely paralyzed and couldn't bring herself to ask about it. Had their tongues really slightly touched or was it her imagination? No, she was sure she felt something soft and warm brushing against her tongue and it definitely wasn't the ice cream.

"Hm? What did I what?" He looked at her, confused about her words. _"Did he really not realize?"_ She mustered all her courage and was ready to ask him clearly about the ice cream but suddenly a crying noise stopped her.

The two turned around and saw a little boy crying for his mom. Touko knelt down beside him and stroked his hair. "It's going to be alright, don't worry." She looked up at Touya, who was looking and asking people around if they saw this boy's parents. She smiled, _"Heh, so he's got a heart too?"_

A few minutes later a worrying young looking woman with long brown hair ran towards the boy and held him in her arms and at the same time she thanked both of them. They soon understood that the boy had been separated from his mother by the crowd and after thanking them a last time she walked away hand in hand with her son.

"Wow, that's was emotional don't you think?" Touko asked.

"Let's go." She flinched. His voice… It was cold, freezing, never had he spoken to her with that kind of tone. She followed him back to the fountain and dared to look at his eyes. Also cold, they were lifeless, without shine, motionless. It's like he transformed to another person in just a few seconds.

They eventually bumped into Bianca and Cheren and the four of them shopped for a few hours but Touko couldn't stop to look at Touya. He was completely quiet and spoke just to say "yes, no or I don't know". There was something that changed him when he saw the boy with his mother. Did he remember his mother? What exactly happened to him in the past? Touko was more curious than ever but now wasn't really the good time to ask him. Just looking into his frozen eyes, she felt a shivering feeling all over her.

They were on the road back to go home. Silence filled the entire room in the car, not a single fly was to be heard. Touko twirled with her fingers. How much she wanted to ask him about today but his robotic movements scared her even more. He wasn't the flirty, teasing boy anymore. He was just an empty body without any soul.

Touya stopped the car and Touko looked out the window and realized that they were back at the Summers mansion. _"Already?"_ she sighed, _"I didn't have the time to ask him about it yet but he's really scary!"_

They got into the mansion without a word. Touya immediately headed to his room after laying all of the shopping bags on the floor while Touko looked down to her feet. She was clueless about what she was going to do now. Was he going to turn into this kind of person? She shook her head and put her hands together so that it looked like she was praying. "Please God, if you really exist bring the _**thing**_ over again and take this motionless zombie away." She paused for a second. It seemed pretty strange that she was actually praying to get that devil back here again even more if it's the same person but she didn't want to deal with him like this each day until she graduates and gets her own house.

After a little while Touya came back down. He was stunning. He wore a white expensively looking shirt that he had unbuttoned to the middle that was showing the upper part of his chest, skinny black jeans with two belts that crossed each other one over the other and neat white shoes that completed his outfit. His hair was thrown to the side and his earrings from each ear were now unveiled or did he just put them on? Touko never saw him wearing that kind of outfit since she moved in and next to him she felt like she was wearing clothes designed after curtains.

He passed by her saying loudly, so that Touko's mother could hear him, that he's going out and coming home very late. Then he opened the door and walked out without even looking at Touko. A familiar fragrance started to fill the entire room and Touko's mother appeared in front of her.

"Touko? Why are you standing in front of the door like that? Oh, I see you bought a lot! Bring the bags to the living room so we can take a look at the beautiful things you bought." Touko's mother singed cheerfully and walked in the direction of the living room.

A single name came up to Touko's mind. _"Men's women catcher: Cologne of Love."_

* * *

><p><em>Over~ I hope you enjoyed it and I'll have to start thinking about what's happening next...By the way I don't own <em>"Men's women catcher: Cologne of Love". I don't even know if it really exists. The name's just appeared in my head but if you find a perfume with the same name let me know. (Even though I doubt it really exists xD)<em>_


	5. Chapter 5: Unnoticed Feelings

**Disclaimer: Again I don't own Pokémon. **

**Here am I again! This chapter wa supposed to be uploaded on Valentine but I was too stressed out with all the tests at school that i didn't have the time. _About the story..._ Well, as you can see it's gotten bigger again ^^" A lot of information will be displayed in this chapter so read carefully to not miss something out. So enjoy reading it and review to tell me what you think about it. Lots of love for all the people who didn't got any or not enough at Valentine's!**

**Chapter 5: Unnoticed Feelings**

"Touko, you've been staring at that door for the last twenty minutes! Are you maybe waiting for someone?" Touko got surprised by her mother's sudden call and detached her eyes from the door she's been staring at to look at her.

"Not really." Touko's mother sighed and settled down on the couch next to Touko. She looked around the place. Clothes were spread everywhere and she looked at her daughter again who returned her gaze to the door. Something about that door was attracting Touko's attention. She somehow felt as if someone would suddenly open the door and tell her everything she wants to know. It would be so easy if that was true. So she decided to turn to the only person who could have some of those answers. If you really want to know something you just have to ask.

"Say mom, do you know anything about Touya's mother?" Touko's mother looked at her with serious eyes before replying, "Yes, I heard about it from Richard." If this wasn't a serious conversation she would have laughed all the way out. It was the first time she heard Touya's father's first name; up until now she has been calling him "you" or "Touya's father" and she absolutely wouldn't want to call him "daddy" as he requested every time.

She broke free from her thoughts when her mother put a hand over hers. "Richard informed me that Touya's mother is still alive and lives somewhere here in Unova."

"She's still alive? Does Touya even know?" Questions without answers came flying out from all directions in her head. Touya's father had told her that Touya's mother was gone, but he actually meant she did something like run away? Her brain kept storing questions that would probably not find an answer so soon. She wanted to start asking them but her mother cut her off.

"Touya already knows about his mother." Touko widened her eyes in disbelief. _"What? He had already known? So then why is the so touchy when it comes to this?"_ She tried to look into her mother's eyes, hoping these would give her a hint, but it failed. Her mother continued with her conversation quietly, "Even though he doesn't want to see her for some reason. I heard too that Richard asked a little favor of you and I know why he did it. He knows about your father's accident and thinks that you can get to know why Touya reacts this way with his mother. He thinks you share the same pain." Touko rose up from the couch and placed herself in front of her mother.

"It's not like his mother is dead though!" She got surprised by her sudden tone raise. It's true, he's got both of his parents who are still alive while she's got just her mother left. For some odd reason she felt mad.

Her mother sighed slowly, raising her head up so she could look into her daughter's eyes. "Touko, if somehow you feel that all along this favor you're doing, you feel like old wounds are opening then I can tell Richard that you can't do it." Old wounds? Her father's death left some nasty looking scars in her heart and she has to admit that she felt mad at Touya for having a mother who's still alive somewhere while she doesn't have a father anymore. Sure, she doesn't know the reason why he "hates" his mother like that, if that's the right way to put it, but there's still more to find out about this.

Touko shook her head. "No, I'll do it." She was the type of person that always finishes what she starts. Finally something she got from her father.

Her mother smiled but her eyes shone with a glance of worry. "Ok, I'll let you do it then but one more thing. Don't go helping another person if you will be the one who gets hurt in the end." After receiving Touko's determinate smile, her mother stood up to tap on her daughter's back. "So while the men are out, want to have a ladies night?"

With that said the two women spend their night together, talking about everything, eating candies, watching romantic movies. They were at the middle of seeing a romantic movie as Touko's mother turned down the volume of the TV. Touko looked at her questionly.

"Touko, do you know what Touya did when he learned from his father that he was going to have a new family?" Touko shook her head and her mother resumed, "Well, he smiled and asked his father all kinds of questions. He was really excited and as soon as he knew that he was going to have a sister too he did all he could to catch if only a glimpse of you." Her mother giggled. _"And that's where the famous episode of the Frisbee comes right? But still that's so out of his character, was he really that happy?"_ Touko thought curiously, is someone who just got left with one parent, really that happy to have a new family? Even if it meant forgetting the old one? She knows that she could never forget her old one.

They kept watching movies until the clock ticked 2 am. Touya's father had come back at 11 am, but headed straight to bed, saying that another huge pile of work was waiting for him to come back tomorrow. Touko noticed how people like him were still working on a summer vacation and now that the summer was getting to an end and people were returning from their vacation, more work was going to come up. Touya still hadn't come back and neither she nor her mother had the strength to wait for him with their half closed up eyes and constant yawning. They decided to end for the night and to go sleeping.

The next morning Touko woke up from a dreamless sleep. She had expected before going to sleep, to dream about the movies she watched with her mother, but it turned out that they didn't really make a special impact on her. There were some movies who where incredibly cheesy and nevertheless they still made her feel warm inside.

She dressed herself and went over to the door. She opened it energetically as the door across from her softly flew open at the same time. She was about to call out her neighbor's name but stopped as soon as she saw a stranger instead of her neighbor.

"Oh, good morning." The person waved at her slowly with asleep azure eyes before going down the hall in the direction of the bathroom.

"_Tall, beautiful blonde hair, long elegant legs, deep blue azure eyes, rose luscious lips, about 7 years older than me…" _Touko observed the blonde woman walking down the hall. Her long wavy blonde hair floated from left to right at the rhythm of her elegant top model marching and caressed her almost bare back. Right, Touko just noticed that the woman was only wearing her underwear. It was as elegant as her, red stripes everywhere.

"Do you know that you're actually staring at a woman?" A voice surely belonging to her neighbor popped out next to her. She looked at him only to find him wearing nothing but he's track pants again. He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms in a casual manner. Touko looked away. The feel of embarrassment didn't get her this time. The woman incident absolutely did block off any sign of blushing. She looked at the direction where the woman disappeared to.

"Is she your girlfriend?" She spoke in a controlled voice tone, a mixture between whisper and shout.

"Hmm, how should I put it? Let's say she's one of many girlfriends." Touya replied. His natural flirting teasing voice was back. There was absolutely no trace of coldness like the day before.

"Do all those girls know about that?" She continued to outface him with the same voice tone. She didn't want him to think she was concerned about it not that she actually was though. She wasn't sure about that.

"Yes. All girls who go out with me know or should know that it's only one night in paradise with the Devilish Lover." She froze for a moment. _"He's back again…"_

The woman returned and smiled a last time to her before walking into Touya's room. Her teeth are also perfect and were a dazzling followed her closing the door behind him and glancing a last time at Touko. After he closed the door Touko slowly made her way to the stairs that led downstairs and stopped in the middle of them. The sweet smell of waffles was floating all around her nose, begging for her to fall into temptation. Her stomach was growling, but strangely she didn't feel like eating.

She walked further down and the smell was getting more and more intense. As she walked through the living room to get to the kitchen, a voice called her name. She looked back and noticed Touya's father sitting in an armchair.

"You're up early today! Normally you wake up late and we never see each other in the morning." He smiled at her and motioning for her to come closer. She walked over to him and sat on the couch, eyes circling in search for a clock. The clock showed 7 am. He was right; she did wake up quite early. Feeling the silence waving in, Touya's father began to speak.

"So, how have things been going? Any new information about Touya?" His voice left a degree of excitement in it and the images of the blonde woman began to kick in. Touko shook her head. This wasn't what mattered right now, but still did Touya's father know that his son has a woman much older than him in his room?

"No, nothing about his mother." She replied followed by a sigh. So many opportunities had been opened to her, but she never dared to ask Touya about his mother. Honestly said, they weren't really the best of friends, she doesn't even know what to even call their relationship.

"I figured as much, it's too soon to expect him to confide to you." He said, reassuring her with a smile. If she looks back in time, there was a time where he confided to her about his thought to Pokémon. It still isn't enough to call it progress.

She suddenly began fidgeting with her fingers. The matter with Touya and the blonde woman didn't let her mind rest. She hesitated for a moment, but then she shrugged it off, saying it was for the heck of it. "I know that it doesn't really concern me, but I have to ask. Do you know that Touya is with a woman much older than him in his bedroom?" The last sentence came with a speed like a horse racing down a field. With her eyes kept closed, she awaited his answer.

"I wished for once he'd have just one girlfriend, but he's always been like that so I stopped talking with him about it." Touko widened her eyes and looked at him. He had placed his newspaper back down and wore a melancholic expression on his face. It was as if he lost hope in what he once had wished. No, now that Touko looked closer at him, he had already lost hope long ago.

"How many years has he been doing this?" She asked very calmly, she didn't want to dig more into a hole where she knows that it will never spread water.

"I already lost count of it, but as long as he knows what he's doing, I will not care about it anymore. After all, I was a bad father back then when he was a child, it's only normal that he is like this today. Maybe this has something to do with his mother too and that's why I need your help." He took Touko's hand in his, looking up into her eyes. She noticed his eyes sparkling as if they would shed tears at any second. He soon released her hand to get up and grab his suitcase that had been lying next to the armchair on the floor.

"Well I have to go. I think I'll skip breakfast today; you can have my share of waffles. Say goodbye to your mother for me. Bye." He took fast steps to get to the door and walked out, closing the heavy door softly behind him. _"Say goodbye to your mother? And Touya? Normally you would shout loudly "goodbye" to Touya before going to work and waking me up in the process. Why not today?"_ Touko began to think continuously about it while walking to the kitchen where sweet waffles where perfuming the house. Does he still think about himself as a bad father during all these years? This question was probably more important than all the questions about Touya's mother.

The morning passed by quickly as did the lunch time too. Touko was now in the backyard, surrounded by a huge maze of wild roses. The rose garden gave her a romantic feeling, perfect if someone wanted to confess his or her love in a shiny moonlight. She shooed her thoughts quickly away. "That was one way to put it as awfully cheesy isn't it Zekrom?" Zekrom nodded accordingly to her and waited impatiently for his training to begin. Next to this huge rose maze was a large field most suited for her Pokémon training. She decided to walk over to it and train there, of course, she wouldn't want Zekrom to destroy all the of the rose crops.

Touko picked one of many lying freebees in a bag and with one swift movement she threw it to the sky. "Now Zekrom! Mystical Flame!" A blue light escaped from Zekrom's eyes and struck towards the sky. A few seconds later a completely burnt freebee fell out from the sky to land in front of Touko's feet. "Very good, Zekrom!" Touko praised her Pokémon and began stroking it and taking out another freebee from the bag with her other hand. She was about to threw it as a voice stopped her.

"How many of these poor freebees are you going to cremate again?" She turned around and saw the "devil" making his way to her.

"I advise you not to come too close. My enemies are also **his** enemies." She said with a slight threatening tone. Touya looked at the 2 feet high Pokémon and didn't feel the least intimidated.

"You wouldn't dare to even hurt me with him would you?" He asked confidently enough to walk further towards Touko.

She narrowed her eyes challengely and replied, "I wouldn't be so sure if I was you. "Zekrom!" With a snap of her fingers she called her Pokémon that stood behind her, next to her. He nodded at her command, a dark blue aura emanating from his body and a serious pair of red eyes completed his appearance. Touya felt the pressure of the incredible aura filling the

air and stepped back with frightened footsteps.

"I see you have time to play and no time when it comes to chores." Touko's mother appeared from the back door that led to the backyard and crossed her arms full of authority.

Touko called back her Pokémon to the Pokéball and sighed. "_Just when I was at the upper hand, this happens."_ When she first moved in, Touko thought about the endless days where there wouldn't be any chores left to do because she was moving to a house filled with butlers, maids and a personal cook. It turned out that her mother didn't want such high luxury and fired all the staff, reassuring them that they would have another job provided. Maybe that's even a good thing. If they had kept all of the staff, Touko could have turned into something like the "devil", conceited and pretentious.

The two teens walked over to Touko's mother and she handed them a piece of paper where some doodles that looked like groceries were to be seen. "I need you too to go shopping at the grocery store at the other end of the neighborhood and bring all of the items I wrote down." Touko took the paper and observed it with curious eyes. She searched names that included fish in them and luckily there wasn't any to be found.

"Just behave yourselves on the way to and from the store!" Touko's mother waved to the two teens that were making their way out of the front gate of the Summers mansion. They had decided not to take the car. There wasn't that much to buy and the store was just close by, but it was after all a long walk if you have a noisy flirting jerk next to you.

Touko was walking far before Touya, the more distance there was between them, the better she felt. Suddenly, a huge iron gate caught her eye. It was the cemetery that separated the rich neighborhood from the poor one as it was directly located in the middle of both. Touya stopped beside her and lightly pushed her towards the gate. She looked up at him and he continued to push her further into the cemetery. They walked to an old tombstone under a weeping willow. The tombstone seemed to be well kept and clean and the tree gave it a sad atmosphere. It seemed like the branches with green vivid leaves that hung downwards on it were crying. Touko gently looked at the tree then at the tombstone. _"I guess that's why they call it a weeping willow."_

She kneeled down, brushing lightly with her fingers against the cold tombstone over the name that was written on it. _"Leonard Fierce. 1969 – 2000. Died in a car accident. Loved dearly by his wife Marian and dear daughter Touko. May he rest under peaceful stars."_ She felt tears welling up on her eyes but held them back; her father surely didn't want her to still cry. He would tell her something like; "You're a grown girl, you can't cry like that anymore!", then he would gently tap her head and say that everything's going to be alright. "How did you know about my father?" Touko said almost whispering, her sad emotions kept emerging inside her.

"I heard from your mother that you're father was here and by the look you gave when you saw the cemetery, I figured you would want to see him." _"He's unusually kind at the moment." _She started to feel more comfortable as he continued with his monologue.

"You really miss him don't you? It must be tough on you." At the sudden statement she clenched her fists that lay on her knees. "You wish him back right?" Her teeth clenched, if he says anything more…"Even if you have a new family you won't forget him so much you love him. You mother told me that." Touko suddenly rose up and turned to look at Touya, who was still kneeling and frowning questionly.

"What do you know about my father? Your mother is still alive and what do you care about her? None! I don't know if you hate her or god knows what, but one thing's for sure don't talk about my father when you yourself disregard your mother!" She shouted at him and everything stood still except for the rustling of leaves that where dragged by the mild summer breeze. She knows that she shouted harsh words at him, but she didn't regret it one bit.

Laughter broke the silence. Touko looked back down at Touya who was laughing strangely. It wasn't the kind of laugh you hear when you find something funny it was a sarcastically laugh almost like the laugh of the bad guy in a movie.

He rose to his feet and stopped laughing, his brown hair covering his eyes. "Now I get it, my father gave up on finding out what I felt for my mother so he asked you to do it in his place right?" He whispered, his words getting to Touko with a scary emotion. She had no choice but to answer with a nod. True, she did shout at him and even now she doesn't regret it.

"Listen carefully and you can tell my father this too. That woman is someone I absolutely disagree about calling her my mother! It actually disgusts me to just think about it. It would be so much better if she didn't exist anymore!" Touko gasped as Touya widened his eyes at the sudden confession. He then turned around and rushed to the entrance of the cemetery. _"How could someone wish for the death of his mother?"_ She thought sadly, _"But it seemed like he was shocked by his own words and didn't want to blurt this out like that. Not now, not ever."_

Touko slowly made her way through the cemetery and looked back one last time at the tombstone that lay a few feet away. She had apologized to her father about what just happened but somehow it was something that was probably clutched in Touya for a while. Even though he said he wanted his mother to cease to exist, she has a feeling that what he said wasn't completely the whole truth. She got shouted at by Touya, but it absolutely didn't discourage her to find what really happened with his mother.

Arrived at the entrance she expected to be left alone, but as she turned her head to the right, she noticed Touya leaning against a wall. He pushed himself away from the wall and without looking at her; he continued walking towards the direction of the store.

She followed him with a slow pace. No one talked, rushed, moved in other ways than walking. They were quiet. Suddenly, Touko felt her surroundings blurring and rubbed her eyes several times, but the blur just wouldn't go away. Her body felt heavy and her legs started to feel as if the would give in at any second. _"What is this? Did I eat something bad? Oh, right I ate these weird shaped chocolates that I found in the cupboard in the kitchen. Was it probably not good anymore?"_ Her sight went blurrier and blurrier until it went completely black. The last thing she felt was her body crashing hard on the concrete pavement.

_Darkness, nothing but dark spots everywhere. Is this a dream or is this hell? Well, I didn't actually hope to land in heaven anyway but now? Is it not too soon? There are so many things I'd like to do before the time comes…_

A rustle made her eyes flutter open. _"Ah I'm still alive, but wait where am I?"_ She looked around and then noticed that she wasn't actually walking, but someone was carrying her on a piggyback ride.

Feeling something moving on his back Touya straightened his grip around Touko's legs. "Oh, you're awake? Stop moving will ya, it was already hard enough to watch out that you wouldn't fall when you were asleep so just do me the favor ok? Back there you collapsed in the middle of the road, I completely freaked out." There, he was back again. Nothing scary or threatening laid on his voice.

She felt the blush of embarrassment and whole other emotions rising on her face and she fidgeted to force him to loosen her. She stopped as soon as she felt a hurtful sting on her right knee. "See? I told you to not move. A little bit of your knee's skin is scratched." "But it still hurts like hell!" She exclaimed but Touya just laughed replying, "Thanks to your little accident I have to bring you back home and go to the store to do the shopping by myself."

Touko thought that it was really a kind thing for him to do and tried to compensate his deed by apologizing for a really different matter. "Look, I'm sorry about what I said back there. It was maybe a little too harsh." "Don't worry about it; it was a topic that was never supposed to be talked about. Just forget it and don't ever bring it up." He ordered. His voice showed his severity with the matter and Touko nodded against his back.

Touya inhaled deeply adjusting his hands on Touko's legs. It was the fist time she noticed his firm grip on them. It wasn't too tight to hurt, but neither was it too loose to escape his grip. "But you know, the best thing about this is that I get to have in an innocently way a girl on my back and taking the opportunity to touch her without receiving the title of pervert." Touko's eye twitched, _"No I'm sure people would call you a pervert, especially when you talk like that! I can't believe he actually said it with a singing tone!"_ She thought angrily, but not enough to argue with him on the subject.

She sighed, "You're pitiful, do you know that?" He straightened his back and called out energetically, "I know, but you love me that way don't you?" His lips formed the so missed devilish smile. Her heart suddenly gave out a strong pump at the word "love", stronger than the normal beatings of her heart. She desperately panicked to herself, scared that Touya had maybe heard it as he continued on his tracks. "And that love is like all the other's I receive from all my girls."

This was the point where all of her good impressions about him that she had stocked in a locker in her mind, burned to crisp in a second. Her arms that hung around his neck tightened and tightened all the more. "Ah sto- you're- strangling me!" "Say what?" He was actually comparing her to the rest of his girls and this left a bitter taste in her mouth. She absolutely wasn't like them and neither did she love him. But for a strange reason she felt sad about him comparing her to the rest.

"O-okay, so-sorry I won't say it again. N-now please don't kill m-me!" Touya begged helplessly, trying to keep his balance at the same time. Touko slowly released her grip on him and with a sigh, rested her head on his shoulder. His short cut hair brushed against her face and she got surprised by the sudden softness his hair strands gave. She buried deeper into the baby blue jacket and inhaled his natural scent. If you notice carefully, anyone has this one particular and natural scent about them. For example, if you go to another person's house, the house's scent will still be different as yours and that applies to all the people around you.

She was about to drop into slumber as she heard a voice call out for Touya. "Touyaaa~ well aren't we as handsome as ever~?" _"What an irritating voice, it looks like someone who just got drunk". _Touko looked over Touya's shoulder to stumble with her eyes upon a woman with short brown hair and tight clothes. This time it was a woman who probably was in around her late twenties. "Ah Ester, as beautiful as a falling sunset in July like I see." Touko frowned at Touya's behavior, _"Guess men will be men when it's about a beautiful woman."_ She didn't want to think or be rude but something about that woman irritated her.

The woman blushed slightly and was about to thank him as she (finally) noticed Touko hanging on his back. "Oh, who might this cute little girl be?" The woman asked cheerfully. _"Little girl? Who does she think she is?"_ Touko was starting to tighten her arms around Touya's neck again as she waited for his answer.

"She is my soon to be sister I talked to you about the other day." "How sweet~~ you get to have such a cute sister! I wonder if you will resist the temptation of not touching her. If you know what I mean." She laughed and Touko felt the blush risen up again.

"No, she's **absolutely** not my type." Touya stated while emphasizing the "absolutely" loudly. Touko strangled him again, obviously insulted by the comment, a little disappointed too.

"Oh Touya boy~~ every girl is your type! That aside won't you join me afterwards to play a little? There will be my best girlfriends too~." _"To play? How old is she?"_ Touko knew exactly what the woman implied by saying "play" but she just wanted to find a reason to mock her, in her head obviously.

"Hmm, I might be passing by then. At the same place as always huh?" Touya said without taking his eyes from the woman's eyes. The woman nodded, "I'll be waiting then~." After that she stroked Touya's hair once rapidly and then waved at Touko to walk away in direction of the Town. Touko felt something dropping like ice cycles in her stomach.

"Are you really going?" Her voice showed no emotion whatsoever and even though she knew what his answer would be already, she still had the urge to hear it from him directly.

"Of course! I wouldn't miss this opportunity; you have to enjoy your life when you're still young." He smirked at his own statement and Touko felt his grip on her legs loosen. She used his distraction to climb off from his back and she immediately felt her knee hurt. The pain made her wobble a bit, her scratched knee shaking. Touya got surprised and turned around only to find her holding her knee in pain.

"What are you doing? You're just hurting yourself like that, c'mon climb on up!" He said with almost a hint of concern.

"I don't care anymore! I'm going home while you can go and "enjoy" your life as much as you want!" She hissed clearly enough to make him understand that she was upset. She wasn't exactly feeling like that no, it was something between being angry and… and? What was it again?

Touya looked closely at Touko and then narrowed his eyes and let out his devilish grin. "Are you maybe…jealous?" The word "jealous" hit a spot in her heart. Was that the word that was missing?

She quickly turned around and without breathing once between her words she countered, "Like hell am I ever gonna be jealous about some older woman!" She then rushed off of or should we rather say she tried? Her knee let her flinch in pain but she still managed to limp her way out of Touya's sight.

"She sure likes to say "hell" a lot." Touya mumbled, looking one last time at the direction that Touko disappeared to. Then he returned where he left off and walked further into the direction of the store.

At the same moment Touko was her, making her way to the mansion. The pain intensified at each step she took and she tightened her teeth in the process. After a while she perceived the cream painted Summers mansion and it instantly gave her courage. Her house wasn't that far away anymore but she felt as if it was still miles away from her reach. The more difficult now was the stairs. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to have left Touya like that?

"_No wait, I left off pretty coolly so I have to take responsibility for my actions."_ She took a deep breath and walked up the stairs to the front door. Well, it was somehow more crawling than walking.

Finally arrived at home she headed straight to the living room with the last bit of energy left and let herself fall on the couch.

Noticing that just one of the teens had returned, Touko's mother approached her daughter. "Touko, where is Touya? Don't tell me you fought again?" She raised an eyebrow in an "I know I'm right" style. Touko muffled a yes from the pillow she had dug into. She then rose up to sit correctly down on the couch and told her mother that they fought about something (she didn't want to tell the truth) and how Touko passed out and decided to return alone. Okay, there where some lies in between but not telling is not lying either. Her mother quickly rushed to the near lying bathroom to take some bandages for Touko's knee and left her for a few moments alone.

She heard something like a thud in the window and turned her head to look at it. The window was large and was filling all the space on the wall from one corner to the other. If it didn't had these long violet colored curtains hanging now on both sides, people from outside would see everything that happened inside. Of course, there were still the white transparent curtains that were always hiding the view when the violet one's where just decorating each side of the window in the corner.

It was starting to rain and again, she was feeling as if she did something bad to Touya. Well in a way it was his fault too.

Having her wound now cleaned and waiting impatiently for the devil to come back, she fumbled nervously with her fingers. As she was about to call him on the X-transceiver, the door opened and he appeared completely drenched by the rain. His clothes stuck to his body like glue and the T-shirt was now transparent, showing the marks of his well build muscles. Apart from having sneezed a lot, he was alright. The goods he bought weren't damaged by the rain and soon night fell and another day rose once again.

Touko awaked by the loud and also annoying voice especially in the mornings from Touya's father calling Touko's and Touya's name from what seemed to come from the living room. She dressed up quickly and opened the door. The neighbor had opened the door at the same time again and she relaxed against the wall beside her door, waiting for the "surprise" Touya had brought over again. Touya peeked out and wore a half asleep look as he was rubbing his hair unconsciously.

"So how was your night out? I suppose you left right, didn't quite see you going out." It sounded more like a statement than a question.

Rubbing his eyes to see more clearly he answered, "Do I look like I spend a night out?" She looked closer at him and his face was paler than it has been the day before. Shrugging it off, she pushed away from the wall. "Guess not then", she started walking to the stairs, "Oh and put some clothes on if you're going to come down."

"You aren't blushing or stuttering anymore, what a surprise!" Wrong she was blushing like mad, this time he was only wearing his boxers, but with incredibly courage she managed to keep calm and not stutter. "I'm getting used to it."

All the family reunited in the living room, Touko was sitting unwillingly next to Touya on the couch, their parents were standing next to each other with luggage in hand and sunglasses set on their heads.

"As you can see", started Touya's father, "We are leaving for a business trip, more like a business weekend I organized with the company to the Hawaiian Isles."

Touya listened quietly and didn't seem to care much, but Touko on the other hand… "What! You're leaving? For a weekend? That means, I'll be stuck with that **thing** for three days today included?" Touko rose up from the couch as she spoke and Touya just laughed at her attitude.

"No dear, we will be leaving tomorrow morning, but you won't see us as we will leave very early." Touko's mother reassured. _"And they already packed their belongings?"_ Touko sunk back to the couch, giving Touya a quick glare as he continued to laugh.

"I don't know what's so funny about it, but watch it. You seem like someone who would collapse at any second. You aren't probably ill are you?" She teased him with all means she had in hand.

"Nope, I have faith in my strong immune system. I was never ill." The devilish smirk of victory brightened his face and she walked away, returning to her room to clear her ideas out and to figure something to survive the long weekend that was coming.

She was at the top of the stairs when her X-transceiver blinked in sign of a mail coming in. The mail came from Bianca and when she read the last part of the mail, Touko gasped in shock. The last sentence was about to become another problem she would be thinking about.

_Touko, me and Cheren…he…broke up._

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><p><em>Continuation in the next chapter!<em>


	6. Chapter 6: Mistakes

**Disclaiemer: I don't own Pokemon B&W**

**Hey guys! Woah, I'm having my training period and it's so stressing and time stealing! Anyway there won't be any chapter updates so soon that's why, tadaa new chapter! _About the story: _In this chapter you will finally be able to peek in Touya's mind! Hey, now don't be shy, I know you guys want to know what he think about! A huge thank you for the reviews you give me, keep them coming! Enjoy~**

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><p><strong>Chapter 6<strong>: Mistakes often come from misunderstandings

"_This makes me feel so nostalgic."_ Touko was back in what used to be her neighbourhood: Nuvema Town. The kind and mild breeze was dragging some of the leaves that were starting to turn into autumn colours. Her hair tied in the usual ponytail was floating against the wind and now that she didn't wore the pink whitish baseball cap anymore; she felt the whole fresh breeze through her hair. She was making her way down Route 1, when a heavy feeling started to bump all the way down her throat to her stomach.

There in the middle of the neighbourhood, the house that once she called hers was still the same as before. Now there was a newly wed couple working on a little flower garden in the backyard behind the house. _"Funny how we never thought of that idea."_ Touko walked further down and eyed from the corner of her eye the laboratory right behind the house.

"_It's been a while since I've last been there."_ The last time she visited the laboratory, Professor Juniper told her that she was going to travel around the world to find new kinds of Pokemon. At first, Touko was over joyed by the idea and thought of finally having dreamful sleeps. At the time when she was still on her journey the professor would always call her to check if she had found new species of Pokemon and sometimes she would whine all night long about the fact that she will probably never get married. Later she heard that Bianca and Cheren had lived the same ordeal as her.

As she was walking down towards the two houses at the bottom of the neighbourhood, she caught a glimpse of someone wearing a baby blue jacket entering Cheren's house. _"Could it be-? No I'm sure he went to "play" somewhere and not everyone that wears a baby blue jacket is supposed to be Touya. Come to think of it I didn't see him this morning, so I wonder…"_

Now standing between the two houses, she felt as if she had to take a decision between going to Bianca's or to Cheren's house. They were all two her best friends and never had she thought about choosing one of them, but the situation made it hard for her to chose just one side. She shook her head. Never was she going to chose just one and Cheren was at fault here, well if he really did break up. Since Bianca was the only one who had sent a text message and that it probably was an S.O.S. call, Touko decided to check on Bianca.

After having knocked on the door, Bianca's overprotective if not to say obsessed-by-his-daughter, father opened the door. He was nearly begging on his knees, asking her to "cure" what ever disease his daughter had and at least convincing her to eat something. _"Bianca hasn't eaten? Impossible, she couldn't live one day without eating her favourite imported chocolate. Knowing her, she probably has some bars hidden somewhere."_ She muffled a laughter at the thought, she didn't want Bianca's father to think she was making fun of him.

Touko climbed up the stairs to the second floor and knocked on Bianca's door where she received an unfriendly welcome. "Go away daddy! I said I won't come out even for a thousand chocolate bars!" "Yes, because you already have a million of them stored under your bed!" Touko shouted through the door jokingly and she heard calm, slow footsteps approaching the door. It opened and Touko let herself in just to be hugged by Bianca in full force like everyone seemed to do when hugging her.

When she finally got released by Bianca's grip, she looked at her to see how much damage was done. By damage she meant, Bianca's swollen eyes, red to the core, her wearing her stars printed pyjama when it was already past twelve and how she was hugging a plush that oddly resembled a Munna. Touko walked towards the little couch opposite of Bianca's bed while Bianca crawled up on her bed like a little kid to sit with her legs crossed.

"So, tell me what exactly happened that you could think, he wanted to break up with you." She went straight to the point; with Bianca there was no use to beat around the bush.

"Toukooooo! He broke up with meeeeee!" Bianca whined loudly, surprisingly enough, her voice cords weren't affected by the sobbing noises she gave out after she said this.

"Yes, yes, I know that already. Bianca, was there something he said that could make you think that way?" It was still difficult for Touko to believe that they really broke up. There had to be a reason for Cheren to suddenly break up right? They were so "perfect" together…

"It is as I told you! Can you believe he broke up by X-transceiver?" Bianca was hugging her Munna plush so tightly that Touko feared the plush's head would rip off at any second. "Can you show me the message then?" Bianca looked away apparently uneasy about the question and Touko narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

"It's...euhm…well…I broke it." "You…WHAT! How did you do it? It's supposed to be unbreakable and you know you can't get another one so soon, these things are worth your whole year's allowance." Touko shouted at her unbelievably about what she just heard. The proof had just disappeared.

"That guy said some horrible things and then I replied some horrible things too and agreed to break up. After sending you the last message, I threw it against a wall, releasing all of my anger in that throw." Bianca explained while shaking her arms back and forth to show how she threw.

"_For her to say "horrible things" that means that she's forgot about what was written in the message…"_ A heavy and desperate sigh escaped Touko's lips. She massaged her forehead and quietly thought about what to do next when Bianca suddenly talked with a very sad tone. "Touko? Have you ever felt as if the world outside those walls in your room vanished and it was only you being captive like a caged bird who's singing to keep alive while you just have to breathe?"

Touko closed her eyes and leaned back on the couch. Has she ever felt that way? Yes, remember _**that**_ time…

At the same time in the same neighbourhood…

As soon as Touya had knocked on the door, it directly opened as if the person knew he was coming. "Touya? I didn't expect you to be here…But please, come in." The person now recognizable as Cheren pulled him by the arm and dragged him in his room, which is in Touya's point of view looked awfully small, but in reality the room was quite large.

Touya looked around the place where he just landed. The place looked at lot messier than his room. He always thought that Cheren was the type who would get freaked out by just seeing a tiny tuft of dust clandestinely occupying his desk. Cheren closed the door and Touya turned around to look at him when suddenly Cheren leapt towards him and hugged him.

"Touyaaaa! She broke up with meeeee!" Cheren started crying and tugging at Touya's favourite jacket. _"Ahhh, Guy…hugging…me….awkward!"_ Touya stood like frozen for a second, being hugged by a guy gave him a feeling of wanting to get him off by the second.

"Ch-cheren, be a guy! Stop hugging me and weeping like a little girl!" Cheren pulled away from him, wiping his tears carelessly with his sleeve before sitting on his bed while Touya was taking off his jacket, which got wet in just a few seconds, revealing an elegant black shirt. Touya kept silent and thought about what to say next when Cheren beat him to it.

"So what are you doing here? I thought Touko would come, but maybe she already went over to…to…" _"There he goes, crying again…_ _What the hell is wrong with this guy? If I can call that a guy…Wait…did I say "hell"? Damn, now I'm using the same cursing words as her…Lately, she's been growing on me for an unknown reason…"_ He shook off these thoughts to come back at Cheren's question. Right, what was he actually doing here? It's not like he wanted to come here in the beginning. He was driving to "play" a little "over there" and then he thought about how Darling said that Cheren broke up with Bianca. In the end, he got so fed up with being curious about the situation that he just decided to talk with Cheren since he knew that Darling was going to Bianca's place. And that's how he ended up here.

Still thinking about what to answer and closing his eyes to concentrate better over the sobbing noises Cheren was making, a sudden realization came in mind.

"Cheren wasn't it _**you**_who broke up?" Touya asked straight fully enough to make Cheren stop crying and looking at him with wet reddish eyes. "Does it look like it was meeee?" His voice was somehow annoying and sometimes incomprehensible due to his constant sobbing. "Did you send her something that could have made her think you were breaking up?"

Cheren looked up to him and for the first time Touya realized what he had been hugging onto. He was holding a plush that looked a lot like that Bianca girl. Wait, it was the exact portrait of her! _"Where did he even get it? Forget it, I take it back, I don't even want to know."_

"I got this strange message of her, where she was saying something about breaking up and when I tried to call her it said that she was unreachable. Then I tried to go to her house but her father had opened the door with a kitchen knife in hand and I got scared and ran away…" Cheren said a little calmer than before but there was still a little trace of sobbing in his voice.

Touya almost burst out in laughter. "Holding a knife? C'mon Cheren he was probably just cutting some vegetables and when he opened the door, he had completely forgot that he actually had the knife in hand." He had to strongly avoid breaking out in laughter; so much this situation was funny. Strangely, he didn't think of Cheren as a complete coward for running away like that, the truth was that he was just a stupid guy in love.

"Can I see your X-transceiver for a moment? You maybe might have sent something by mistake." Cheren shook his head, pointing his finger to the corner of his room. His X-transceiver was loading and once they were loading, we had to wait until it was fully loaded to use it. These things were quite fragile when it came to battery loading and not talking about how it eats a lot of battery, good thing that it can be connected to a solar energy system.

Seeing the frustration on Touya's face, Cheren hopped down of his bed. "What do you think I have to do?" _"Why's he asking me? Oh right, I'm the only one who can help, seeing how this guy doesn't seem to have other friends roaming around. But do I even look like the type of guy who falls in love? Why clinging to one if you can have all of them? Wait, Darling would be angry at me if I said this…Now what did that one guy say in the last movie I watched? Oh, I got it!"_

Touya slowly walked towards Cheren and put a hand on his shoulder. He was about ten inches taller than Cheren, so it looked like he was something like a big brother. Now that he looks closer, Darling was probably taller than Cheren or was it her hair that was bigger?

"Listen," Touya started calmly and chose his words just like the guy in the movie did, "Let her go-" Cheren interrupted him by frowning and shouting loudly, "Never will I give up on her, she's my life, my everything, my-" Touya stopped him by punching him strongly on his head. "Let me finish will you?" "Yes, Sir." Cheren said, sitting down like a child who just got yelled at.

"Like I said, let her go, give her time to think about the situation. Maybe, just maybe she thinks that she was the one being dropped down and is now crying about how much she loves you and misses you. I'm sure that if Dar- I mean Touko's with her then I can guarantee you that she will come back in no time. Trust me; she's probably hurt, so all you can do is waiting. Just after you see that she's fully recovered then you can make your beautiful Romeo and Juliet scene and do whatever you couples do. Understood?" Touya got surprised with the words he just said, he was sure that some things were said in the movie, but where did the other stuff come from? Well to be truthful it wasn't such a great speak, but hey, he did his best!

Cheren looked at him amazingly and Touya almost blushed with all the compliments he gave him. It looked like the little guy had cheered up a little bit and made Touya feel as if he'd done his job. He started to take his jacket, lying on the armchair next to Cheren's bed and was about to say he was leaving when Cheren asked him the question he never thought of hearing in his youthful life.

"Touya, did you ever love someone that you could give every breath, your entire soul, devotion, life to someone who didn't even ask all of this, but you were ready to give it for this someone even if it meant you would die and that someone would live, without you knowing if that very someone loved you back?"

Touya leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes_. "No, you didn't ask the right question. The right one would be "Did someone even feel that way for me?" And I'm not sure if I could even answer this question."_ The words didn't come out of his mouth. How could they even be spoken if he himself wanted to hide them in the depths of his heart? But that girl, that one girl could be the one who could one day rip his heart off and make him blurt all the things out he hid behind walls which took him years to build. It still remains a mystery that that girl was making such an impact on him. The first time he saw her, he hit her purposely with a Frisbee just so he could see if she would fall crazy over him, but she didn't. All the insults were tests and now the insults morphed into lovely nicknames. He didn't find her gorgeous or beautiful, but found she acted a lot like a tomboy. Still, he felt that she had something that attracted him to her and what was it? Oh, yes maybe that was just plain sibling friendship. And was it really?

Touya didn't answer Cheren's question, but just said that he had to go and gave him his X-transceiver number to talk if something new happened, dragging his still wet jacket over his shoulder. Arrived in front of his car, he sighed with exhaustion. _"That was one teachful day! Now what did I had planned?"_ He looked at the direction of what he called his girl harem and then he kicked a near lying little rock. _"I think today, I'll take a day off my duty of the prince of the Unova harem."_ He smiled, showing his devilish smile to himself, not knowing a girl had just collapsed a few feet away by having watched him at that precise moment.

X-x-x-x

"_Goodbye." _

_He left…He really left…All I could see was a blur, probably due to my tears sticking to my eyes. I don't know how much time had passed and looking at my X-transceiver wouldn't help either. After he left I was broken. Completely worn out. My throat ached for air and my eyes were running out of tears. Slowly but surely I made my way out of the palace. Not walking, running, limping, crawling, but dragging my feet, stumbling over every little rock. My heart ached. I loved him…Yes I did. I just didn't tell him, but would it make a difference? Out on the streets and finally seeing the passerby's and shops because my eyes had dried up. I wasn't crying anymore, but I knew my eyes looked lifeless and colorless. I knew because I saw myself mirrored in the shop windows. I had to ask myself many times if that was me and many times I doubted. In the glass, I saw a walking doll stuffed with a soul which it didn't even ask for. A doll who doesn't even know why and what for it exists, it just was here. A heart was given to the doll, but it was taken away by someone whom it should have known couldn't take care of it when it gave its heart to that someone. It was merely a doll; no one ever told it how to care of important things. Now it was too late, its heart was already stolen. The only thing the doll could do now is live through everyday without knowing how to feel again, love again. But is living worth it if we don't have love?_

_I was wandering around and suddenly found myself in front of Bianca's house. When she saw me, she didn't ask me anything. She just held me in her arms and stroked my hair when I finally let go of everything around me. Nothing mattered anymore; I cried every tear out, shouted whatever came in mind and held onto the last things that I had left. So, if you ask me if that was the worst you could feel then you don't know a place called "hell"._

Touko slowly opened her eyes when she felt someone nudging into her arm. Bianca was next to her on the couch and wore a worried expression. "Touko? What do you think I should do? I still…love him. I don't want this to end up with a snap of the fingers." Oh right, she was still at Bianca's and had she been dreaming or was that merely thinking back in time? Well, either way it wasn't the time to think about it.

"Well, I can't decide that for you, you know? Let me tell you something." Bianca approached closer to Touko with widened eyes, telling her she was ready to hear her out.

"Sometimes, being in love is like driving on a highway. You are driving all along this straight road to get to your destination, in your case Cheren. Obviously there are always obstacles that make it hard for you to get there, like traffic jams, accidents, and all kind off things like that. And sometimes there are people who regret taking this route and go back thanks to these roads that appear on the side of the highway road and make you choose another destination."

"So you're saying I was at destination when I was still with him and now he's driven somewhere ahead of me and I just have to follow him? Problem is that I'm stuck in a traffic jam! Haha that was a good metaphor Touko!" Bianca smiled at her. Good, she was finally able to cheer up.

"Then, how is it with you Touko? Do you still follow the path to N?" Bianca put a finger on her lips; she always did it when she asked a sensitive question. For the first time, Touko felt nothing when hearing his name. She felt a tiny bit uneasy, but she didn't felt the same way as when she was riding the Ferris wheel. It still hurt; it would always hurt, but not with the same strength as it did before.

"There's actually at third option on the highway that I didn't talk about." Touko felt Bianca's I-knew-there-was-something-missing look on her and proceeded to resume her talk. "You know these rest areas where you can find gas stations and restaurants, etc…right? Well, I'm currently stopped on one of them, not knowing if I should continue or go back and find another destination. Until the time comes where I'll finally know which way to go, I'm not going to drive anywhere." A distant look decorated her eyes now. She was on an unknown stop, full of promises and temptations. We could say it wasn't one of the best stops there was, but still would she find which way to go? Touko glanced at Bianca's desk clock and nearly jumped from her seat.

"It's already half past six? It's near dinner time!" Actually there wasn't a fixed hour to dine in Touya's mansion. Whenever the dinner was ready, it was time to eat.

"Really? We always eat at 7 p.m..." Touko glared at her. _"It's not what I meant! So her airheadness hasn't disappeared one bit…"_

Lifting herself from the couch she stretched her arm while yawning loudly and wiping the tear being formed by it on the corner of her eye. It was really a tiring day.

"I think it's time for me to go and you! Eat something healthier than just chocolate!" Bianca just giggled. "You've changed."

Touko widened her eyes, but not wide enough to look as if she was surprised. Sometimes, you won't know how much you changed until someone tells you. Touko already knew she had changed, but in what way?

Bianca gave her a gentle tap on her shoulder. "Remember that time you came to me crying?" _"Yeah I remember it all too well, in spite of myself…."_ "That day you looked like a broken doll that we just wanted to hug, but the next day you were already cheery and training your

Pokemon. You were not like me, who had locked myself up in my room, crying about someone who probably doesn't even care about me anymore. You're so much stronger than me, now more than ever."

"_You're wrong, you're wrong, you're wrong!"_ Her heart ached for her to yell those words, but her pride just wouldn't let these words run free. _"I was exactly like you! I trained my Pokemon and faked all kinds of smiles just so the pain won't be shown. At night was the only time where I locked myself up and cried just like you did a while ago. Shame chased me. I was pretending to be someone stronger than I myself could ever be. I was lying to everybody and today I'm standing here grieving about the past. One cannot erase the past or so one says."_

Touko gave her a gentle smile even though her lips burned to say the truth she could only say, "I'm sure everything will turn out okay, see you!" She left Bianca's room and once again she learned something she had forgotten to remember last time. The broken doll still has a soul, but can its heart be returned?

Arrived in front of the mansion's gates, she crossed ways with her devilish enemy. "Oh, I see you came back from your playing." Without waiting his response she started climbing up the stairs to the front door. Touya followed her with a quickened pace, holding two shopping bags on both hands.

"Hmm, nope. I wasn't in the mood today." _"Hmph, like I'm gonna believe this guy's appetite for girls lessened!"_ Realizing he was holding two bags she asked curiously, "Okay, so what if you didn't go "play" somewhere, where did you go? And don't tell me you went shopping all day."

Touko opened the door and after they walked in, Touya closed the door with a kick of his right sports shoe. He shrugged to answer the girl that has been looking at him impatiently for an answer.

"I went to Cheren's and guess what? Apparently that guy has lost the dignity of a man and began crying all day long. She was the one who broke up." Touko gaped in shock. The shock of Touya having visited Cheren was far greater than the fact of Bianca being the one who broke up.

"Impossible, she assured me that it was Cheren and was also crying her soul out! And anyway, what were you even doing there?" Touya was about to reply as Touko's X-transceiver was signaling her of an income call. She accepted it and Bianca appeared on the screen.

"Bianca?" Hearing Touko shouting the blonde girl's name, Touya immediately leapt beside Touko and the sudden close physical contact was making her shudder for some reason.

"Touko? Oh and Touya too~~Lookie here, we are back together again." A smiling Cheren appeared on the screen and Bianca kissed him quickly on the lips, leaving a blushing and now-I-can-die-happy look on his face.

"Touya, I just couldn't resist sitting and doing nothing when I knew the girl I loved was suffering because of a stupid "I want to break all the relations I have with you" message I wanted to send to some business partners of my mom, but instead got send to Bianca. Complicated story right?" Cheren hugged Bianca tightly before the two of them thanked and waved goodbye to the two speechless and open-mouthed teens. The screen faded to black and we could hear the same thoughts in both of their minds, well not exact accurately…

"What stupid misunderstanding was that? Heh I knew it."

"What hell of stupid misunderstanding was that! I'm so going to kill her!"

Touko looked around the room and quickly spotted a pristine kept vase on the low table between the couch and the two armchairs in the living room. Without a second thought she picked up the vase and held it high up above her head. She wasn't exactly planning to throw the vase she just wanted to think of having Bianca replacing the vase and god knows what crazy and horrid crime scenes were draining in her head.

Touya, obviously afraid that she could really throw the vase grabbed it with both of his hands, careful not to touch hers so he won't startle her and let the vase fall.

"Hey, hey, hey, calm down. You're not going to kill anyone Honey Pot, besides that vase cost a hundred." He said with a teasingly and serious intention behind his words. "Don't stand in my way and don't call me hon…ey…po…t." Touko stopped feeling a warm breath caressing her forehead. She looked up just to see Touya's face a few inches from hers and her reflex let her hands go of the vase, causing Touya to stumble backwards clutching the vase tighly in his arms.

"Just a hundred? You're rich, so you could pay for another one." She had turned her back to him, blushing and heating up like never before. _"He was so __**close**__!"_

Touya slowly returned the vase to its original position on the table. "Nope I was talking about a hundred thousand." She nearly choked on her own saliva she had been close to break a vase of such a great valor, but still she found the vase rather ugly to be a masterpiece.

He just laughed at her frightened expression and passed by her roughly rubbing her hair a few gentle times before heading to the stairs. "Eat dinner without me; I think I'll skip today." He brushed a hand against his forehead, wearing a sickly look. Touko grabbed this chance to pay him back for the teasing.

"Hmm, are you maybe getting ill? Is your immune system playing pranks on you?" She grinned while he glared back, climbing the stairs and yelling back a few words that meant "I'm fully confident about my immune system."

Touko shrugged and went to the kitchen to put a frozen lasagna tray into the microwave. She decided to look at Touya's shopping bags and immediately got disgusted by the view. Fish, entirely pieces of fresh fish meat in a shopping bag. After having looked in one shopping bag, she feared about looking into the second one, but after a moment of hesitation, she peered into the bag and there was meat, vegetables, things you could call "normal" shopping groceries. She smiled when she saw he had bought steak that looked a lot like the one he had stolen from her when he came to eat at her house.

After having put away all of the groceries in their right places without of course having touched the "fish infected bag", she went back to look at the circling hypnotizing tray of lasagna. She got distracted by a sudden text message and looked at it annoyingly. _"What now love birds?"_ Turns out she was wrong. The number was unknown to her and when she opened it she found a single word.

"_Soon…"_

"_Soon? Who could that be? Meh, just someone who got the wrong number."_ She shrugged half-heartily and walked to the window. With her fingers stroking against the window pane she felt a strange sensation. Where could he be now? She promised that she was going to forget him, but lately she's been having strange feelings around Touya. She shook her head strongly enough to make her eyesight spin for a moment. _"Seriously though, are you ever coming back? I don't know what I should feel for you anymore…"_ Smelling something burn she turned rapidly to save the last bits of her dinner. Two people in her heart, was anyone going to win?

* * *

><p><em>So did you like it? Stay tuned for the next chapter~~<em>


	7. Chapter 7: A feverish surprise

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon.**

_Heya! How are you guys doing? Me? I'm fine! (Like, anybody would care...) Jk, so I've finished my training period and finally I have the time to write again! _

_**About the story:** Warning, there is A LOT chessshiping in this one and a lot information you were dying about to know! So enjoy and review if you like!_

**Chapter 7: A feverish surprise**

Bright light entered through the fine embroidery of the curtains. The white colour of the walls increased the brightness of the sunshine and stung deep into Touko's eyes. She moaned at the sting and slowly raised herself to sit on the bed, rubbing her eyes to see more clearly over the light. "Ahh, this stings! I really have to rearrange my room…" While she was complaining an odd object caught her attention. On a part of the wall, the white colour was decorated with cream coloured spots. "What is that?" She slowly put her sheets away from her and crawled on her bed towards the far end of the king-sized bed. Reaching the end, she hopped, intrigued by the spots. Arrived in front of the strange wall she brushed her fingertips against it and felt a different material under her fingers.

"A doorknob? Don't tell me-." With a swift turn of the knob, the door opened revealing a pristine all-in-white bathroom. She put her hands on both sides of her head. "All this time, I was making such a long way out of my room down the hall when there was one right in my bedroom?" Having finally discovered another part of the mansion, and feeling slightly fooled, she prepared herself in her new discovered bathroom.

While brushing her teeth she checked around and fixed with her eyes an object which was at the same time precious and ordinary. It was her base ball cap she had just hung up on the hooks behind the bathroom door. She can't really remember the face of the boy who gave it to her as a present; she could only remember that they were really close and that he was the one who gave her, her first kiss. A warm feeling spread through her body at the memory of this and she smiled unconsciously at the silly first kiss she got from a childish "Let's play, lover's game!" The game consisted to play as a couple and hold hands, make food out of sand and other silly and childish things like that. She had been caught of guard by the sudden kiss the boy gave. Unfortunately, the boy moved from the neighbourhood soon after and she never saw him again.

Strangely, it wasn't her first love, what could she have done? She was just a kid and kids just don't know any better. It was all part of a game, and when playing games, real feelings are to remain hidden if you want to win that is. But was that really a win or lose game?

Finished with her cleaning, she withdrew different clothing from her closet. She put on a baby blue coloured V-neck T-shirt and a white Bermuda which she bought at the shopping mall. A strike hit her when she saw the baby blue T-shirt in one of the shops and she could say that she fell in love at first sight. Still, she felt a little strange that it reminded her of Touya's jacket. Maybe it was his eyes locked onto the direction of the shirt that gave her a signal that she should buy it? Or maybe she was just seeing things and hell with that! She needed a damn shirt after all.

She headed out to the hall and checked the devil's door. "_Closed? I think he's still sleeping. Guess, I'll do some other thinks until he wakes up, it's still early too."_ Shrugging it off with a wave from her hand she looked from right to left and thought of what she could possibly do to spend her time.

Touya always left the door open when he was somewhere else be it in the mansion or when he went out, but never did he lock his room when he closed it, it kind of lets a feeling of "Come in into the sweet Devilish Lover's kingdom" or just "Hey, you, me, tonight". The thought of him being with a woman didn't cross her mind this time. She was positive that he didn't go or sneak out last night. Don't ask how she knows it, she just does.

She went to the left and walked towards the far end of the hall only to discover a staircase that led to the third floor. Climbing up the stairs she noticed the colour of the walls changing from a cream colour to a sporty blue red-striped one.

Stepping out of the stairs, she arrived at another hall. The left wall was made out of glass and Touko peeked in. The other side contained a huge gym with many machines to train on. Some of them looked rather odd and left Touko clueless about what they could possibly help you train with. Some weights where out of their original place and you could see towels spread here and there. _"Now I know where the devil trains. Never figured there was such a room here…"_ Therefore, she wasn't surprised if she suddenly saw a giant pool popping from the other side of the glass, this was after all, the haute society. Nothing decorated the right wall, not even photographs where hung along them. She walked further down and stopped right in front of a plain brown wooden door. Touko looked back just to be sure that Touya wasn't behind her. Of course, the mansion was now her home too, but the feeling of it not being still lived in her mind. The excitement pulsating in her veins that at any moment she could get caught made her want to burst the door open.

Instead, she slowly pushed the door, and a long grinding sound echoed in the room. She tightened her teeth and hoped that the sound didn't reach a certain someone's ears. The room was rather tiny compared to the rest of the rooms in the mansion. The walls were painted with a dull brown colour and in the middle stood a single desk accompanied by a chair. Nothing else was there besides cobwebs and dust. The desk being the only object of interest, she entered fully in the study towards it.

As she approached she could see a photograph in a gorgeous frame with stripes and laces decorating the gold colour of the frame. She cautiously took the picture in her hands as it was put in such a wonderful decoration; one had to take care not to break it. Cleaning the dust on the picture by blowing her warm breath, she could finally see the hidden picture. A beautiful woman with brown long wavy hair and ocean blue eyes was smiling at the camera. The sunshine shining and the orange tree blossoms falling on her seemed to bow at her like a queen. Touko gaped in amazement. In the bottom of the right corner was a name "Natasha Summers".

Touko smiled. "That's Touya's mother for you." She didn't think Touya's mother to be that beautiful and even that was an understatement. Her X-transceiver showed her that it was time to go back down and she put back the picture. Her steps hurrying on the floor and her mind fed with a beautiful picture made her heart wobble. She doesn't have a clue who kept this single picture was it Touya's father or Touya himself but one thing she knew was that someone couldn't forget about her.

Irritated, looking at the closed door, Touko thought that it was amply time to get the devil out of his den. She burst the door open, as always not caring to knock and stopped right in her tracks as she saw a coughing Touya in bed. She hastily rushed towards the side of his bed. Touya's face was pale and sweat drops were falling from his forehead to the side of his cheeks. No need to look at it any closer, he was ill. Touko frowned, _"I was completely right about him being ill but no he didn't listen!"_ It maybe looked like she was teasing him and his immune system, but in reality she knew he was going to be ill, not that she had cared if he'd listen or not though.

"I'll call a doctor an-" She was cut off by Touya who had grabbed her arm. "Don't, *cough* I hate *cough* doctors." Touya managed to talk with a hoarse voice, completely different from his usual flirty one. Touko gave out a long sigh as if she was thinking about what to do. Touya looked at her like a little child and her heart just wouldn't keep quiet about the cute image she was seeing.

After a moment of reflection, she quietly put back Touya's arm beside him. "Okay, then I'll call Mom; she probably knows what to do. You stay quietly in your bed, I'll come back, ok?" She said with a very calm and sweet voice that showed authority as well as kindness, the kind of voice you use when talking to children. Touya just nodded, coughing along the way two times and Touko went downstairs into the kitchen to prepare whatever her mother was going to instruct her.

She called on the number her mother had left pinned on the fridge and it didn't last more than 5 seconds for her mother to answer. "Aloha~ It's soo hot here in Hawaii, you have no idea Touko!" Touko glared at her mother through the X-transceiver. Her mother had a different kind of phone, cheaper than the X-transceiver that is made for trainers; her phone was especially constructed for business people who could have a reunion through video. The generation really passes by too fast. "Mom, how can you be that happy without your daughter! Don't you see that you left me and Touya alone together doesn't it worry you?" It was not like she was thinking about having anything with Touya, but who knows what he could do to her? She already said it once and she would say it as many times as needed. That guy is dangerous, well if you talk about a flirting kind of dangerous.

"Oh, I'm sorry dear. I think you two are old enough to know what you're doing~" Her mother gave her a wink before continuing in a more stern tone, "Is something wrong?" She looked at her worriedly. "Yes, I think that Touya has a fever and he's coughing a lot. He doesn't want me to call in for a doctor, so I figured you would know what to do." If it wasn't for the very childlike look Touya gave her, she wouldn't care less about him hating doctors. He was ill and the only medicine was to call for a doctor to eventually help to cure him.

"Is he alright? He isn't in that much pain is he?" By the impatient look Touko gave her, she figured that her daughter was waiting for instructions. "First, cover him with warm blankets even if he says he isn't cold, make him a soup with the already done ingredients in a package in the upper cupboard, the second on the left, make him take the medicine in the lower cupboard all five hours against his fever and for the coughing use the medicine in the same cupboard just two times a day. Did you memorize it all?" Her mother asked smiling at her daughter's thumbs up.

"I leave it up to you then, take good care of him!" Touko stuck out her tongue unnoticed by her mother. At the end of her nursing, she wouldn't get a thank you from him as he's personality indicates how he doesn't show these types of weak moments. Saying "thank you" and "sorry" weren't quite in his vocabulary. She waved goodbye to her mother and prepared all of the ingredients. The soup was easy to make as it was already made in a package, she just had to put water and boil it. To put it bluntly, she was one of the modern woman who couldn't cook or everything that she touched would turn out too salty or too sweet and don't even talk about cooking eggs, they just explode without knowing why. Guess, it still remains a mystery.

Putting the warm soup and the medicine on a tray, she slowly made her way to the stairs. It was still incredible how her mother kept these medicines in case something happened. Some people just wouldn't bother about it or say that misery and illness just happen to other people and not us. They're wrong. We never know if something could strike us now or the day after.

It took her nearly fifteen minutes to get the tray to Touya's room. There was two times when Touko's heart skipped a beat and these times where when Touko nearly spilled the bowl with the soup out of the tray. Thank goodness, it didn't fall.

Arrived at Touya's bed she pulled a nearly lying comfy and heavy chair next to Touya's bed after having placed the tray on his nightstand. Touya slowly opened his eyes to see Touko handing him a spoon. While strongly gulping down, he tried to clear his throat to start talking. "Could you *cough* feed me?" The more he coughed and the more he looked weak and innocent, the more Touko's heart demanded her to just hug him away and give him all the love to her heart's content. She swallowed down as strongly as he did before, to resist doing anything reckless.

"O-okay, I'll do it." _"Even though I said I would do it, this still looks wrong!" _She was frozen with the spoon in hand a few inches of Touya's mouth. She had helped him to straighten himself on the bed and only having touched his waist to help him, gave her a hard time to breathe and a colourful palette of pink colours on her cheeks for an unknown reason.

Touya opened his mouth and Touko gulped one last time before feeding him the soup. He slowly swallowed the soup and she observed his throat moving up and down as he swallowed. This was getting ridiculous. Why was she feeling suddenly like this? Was it because he's now all weak and innocent that she's suddenly feeling some odd and unwanted feelings? Her strong mind kept fighting against her emotions. When it finally cleared up from any odd or warm feelings, she continued feeding him. Her mind and heart ceased to intervene into the situation, but the only thing she couldn't control was her smiling. It just made her smile when Touya opened his mouth and forced himself to swallow the soup down even with his inflamed throat barriers. It reminded her a lot of when she had to baby-sit a younger cousin. _"Wait, this is Touya we're talking about!" _Suddenly a smirk appeared on her face all the while as she was feeding Touya. _"Hey, I could easily blackmail him with this!"_

The next moments of feeding him went by calmly as Touko was more comfortable with the situation and the blackmailing material she got in hand. She put back the spoon and the bowl now empty to give him his medicine. Touya winced at the sour and awful tasting medicine and when Touko was finally finished with her feeding task, she rearranged the tray to take it back into the kitchen. Touya slowly slid back into a lying position and Touko sighed relieved of not having to touch him again. It was pretty strange how she was feeling lately; only the mere breath or touch of his against her skin made her all shaky and odd feeling. Maybe it was just temporary? In any case, she hoped it to be.

She placed the tray back into its place in the cupboard and felt her stomach grumbling. "Oh right, I was so busy nursing Touya that I forgot to eat myself." She rapidly preheated a tray of frozen hamburger and potatoes that can be preheated from a microwave. The whole eating and cleaning dishes operation took two whole hours. She had to admit that she lazily watched TV when pausing in her cleaning dishes duty. Touko was heading to Touya's room again to give him the medicine against the coughing and at the same time thinking how much exercise she was doing today when climbing and move down those stairs. Not that she needed it; she was still as slender as she always was. Bianca was the one, who needed it though, with all the chocolate bars she eats; it's still a wonder how she didn't get that fat even if her endurance lacked power.

Letting herself in into Touya's room, she noticed him wriggling. She approached to the side of his bed and saw him wincing a few times. Thinking that maybe he was having a nightmare, she raised her fingers up to his forehead and brushed the few hair strands away. At her touch, Touya immediately stopped and opened his eyes. Touko froze for a moment, thinking if he had his right mind back and felt her touching him, but he kept looking at her without saying a word. She then proceeded to give him the medicine and watched him as he obediently swallowed.

"Good boy." The words suddenly slipped and she blushed at her own statement. _"What am I thinking? It doesn't mean that if he looks like a little boy that he actually is one! What is wrong with me?"_ Her subconscious was getting the better of her and she hurriedly packed away the medicine that she brought.

Finished with the packing, she brushed her forehead to catch any eventual sweat drop that could have fallen as she was so flustered that Touya could at any moment realize what she'd said and did.

She turned around to him and waving her hand she said in her controlled "I'm speaking to a child voice", "I'm leaving, and I'll come back for the other medicine okay?" Without waiting for an answer she started to leave, but was stopped by two manly arms, holding her tightly by the waist from behind her. She turned her head and saw Touya half up, half lying on his bed, who was burying his face against her back.

"Don't leave! You said you'd come back to get me, and I waited so long, but you never came! Please, don't leave me again Mom! You can't imagine how I missed you and wanted to be held in your warm embrace, your soft fingers slowly running through my hair and your gentle strokes on my chest when I felt sad… Please, don't push me away; don't throw my love no more or less by running away again. At least, take me with you!" Touya shouted without coughing in between his words. Touko instantly froze at the word "Mom".

"_Do I look that old to be his mother?"_ She frowned for a moment, slightly offended by the comment. Then, she shook her head, this wasn't the time to be thinking about looking old or not. He was talking about his mother! _"She ran away? How could she leave and forget to bring her son when she promised she would? More importantly, how come he thinks that I'm his mother?_ She thought panicking about whether she had to play along or just get him out of his reverie and telling him she's his honey pot? Just thinking about her nickname gave her shivers.

After a moment of thinking and trying hard not to blush as she felt his arms sliding down her waist probably due to his weakness, she decided to play along. After all, she was good at acting.

She took his arms and freed herself from his grip. Turning around, she sat down on the edge of the bed beside him and gently stroked his cheek. "Touya, calm down. I'm here I won't go anywhere anymore. I'll stay with you forever." Her words came out with a sweet voice tone, almost like one of a real mother. She was surprised at how much these words came out so naturally.

"Promise me that you'll never leave again!" He said weakly and with half closed eyes. This made her hard to continue with her act. She wasn't his real mother and she had no right to promise things she wouldn't keep, that she **couldn't** keep. More importantly, what if when he completely wakes up, he remembers every single thing? Well, in a way it would surely help her get closer to answers as he has to explain everything about his mother and about her leaving him.

With all her might she resumed her acting, "I promise. Now go to bed, you need to rest." She saw him wobbling from right to left when she gripped his shoulders to steady him. He looked down at her and slowly approached his face to hers. Touko was too concentrated on steadying him to notice him coming down. When she finally made sure he was steady she looked up, only to find him leaning closer and kissing her.

Everything around her faded to black or was it just the room colour? The kiss was weak and his lips only brushed lightly against hers for a few seconds. These few seconds may have lasted as mere seconds, but for Touko it lasted way more. A warm and comfortable feeling came from all directions to cast themselves in her heart. Sure, she already had her first kiss, but this was somehow different. This wasn't a game and the kiss wasn't salty like before. This tasted like sour medicine with a sweet touch of "something".

She didn't have the time to think more about it as Touya's head slid from her lips to rest on her collarbone. His hot feverish forehead collided against her already warm skin and she thought of nothing else while putting Touya slowly back to his lying position and pulled the blanket up to his neck.

Only when she settled herself in the living room, she started to think seriously about what had just happened. She brought her fingers to her lips and felt the soft and warm lips all over hers again. Touko shook her head. _"No, think about it Touko! He wasn't in his right state of mind and thought you were his mother so he kissed you thinking that you were his mother. Wait, do we kiss mothers on the lips nowadays? I think I heard about some country where they do it…Ahhh what do I do?"_ She put her hands to her head confused about the kiss. Why on earth did it matter so much to her anyway? No reason came in mind, but it didn't change the fact that he kissed **her** instead of his real mother. She prayed for him to forget everything including the kiss, but somewhere deep down inside she just couldn't help but hope he'd still remember after he wakes up in his right mind.

Was it bad? They were actually going to be family, brother and sister, even if they aren't blood-related, would we go so far to call it incest? Touko shooed these thoughts away with an energetic shook of her head. These stupid questions wouldn't stop to pile up and she had to find something to keep her from thinking to much. Her eyes circled through the room until they spotted a left out magazine on the compartment under the coffee table.

Without hesitating, she hastily grabbed it and opened it op on a random page. On the opened page, questions with three possible answers where displayed on a range of three whole pages. _"Hmm, that would keep me from thinking about useless things and do something instructing for once." _

With pen in hand and an optimistic mind, she started what seemed to look like a quiz and not bothering to look at the title, Touko answered to the most oddly questions. At some point, she wondered if there was even a good or bad answer, but feeling that she was really in need to cut off any more thinking she just crossed the answer more close to her opinion.

Time passed and she had just finished the quiz when she tried to sum the points given at the different answers to get to the conclusion she heard a thump from the stairs. She looked up from her magazine to bring her attention to the stairs which linked the living room to the first floor. Touya had fallen to one knee and only his right hand, grabbing hold of the railway glued on the wall, was steadying him. She was about to rise up from the sofa when she heard the weak sounding but also loud shout from Touya. "Stop! Don't move. I'm coming down there alone."

She couldn't help but smile at the way he said these words. They were so confident on themselves and the way Touya was making his way very slowly and one step at the time, sometimes slipping, but nevertheless, he was really making the effort of coming down alone.

Touko was half up, half sitting with only having the support of her hands pressed against the silk fabric of the couch to hold up her weight. At any second she was prepared to run to Touya if he slipped and fell from the stairs. She couldn't deny the fact that she admired him for wanting to keep his man's pride of not needing any help. Just like someone who struggles himself to start walking again after having had an accident that made him unable to walk for quite some time. This was definitely telling her that he had (probably) for a short period of time, regained his right mind.

"T-touya! What are you doing down here? You should stay in bed and rest!" She scolded him a bit too late as he was already stepping onto the last step.

He looked at her feebly then decided to walk towards her and plop down next to her onto the couch. Touko frowned not understanding why he was suddenly here, even more after what happened before…wait, how many time had passed? She rapidly looked at the clock who told her she had been keeping her busy for two hours. Incredible how fast time passes when you are seriously doing a quiz. More importantly, did he remember what actually happened back there?

Touya leaned back, propping his arms in front of him widely along his legs. "I'm fed up with being in bed. Thought, I was better, but it turns out that…I'm…n…ot." Even though he started pretty good in the beginning of his sentence, his voice became more and more inaudible, almost like a whisper. He had pushed his back from the couch and leaned forwards, then backwards and from left to right. There Touko noticed that he was probably fading back to sleep behind his control.

She was about to take action as his whole upper body fell downwards to the right, landing with his head on Touko's lap. Touko had kept her eyes closed during his fall, naturally she was afraid he would fall to the ground and become hurt, but she got a whole other image as she opened an eye to check on him. Touya's head was lying right on her lap; he had fallen so softly that she didn't even notice him there.

A pinkish blush appeared on her cheeks and she desperately tried to think what she could do about the situation. True, she could just push him away; let him fall hard on the million dollars flooring and calling him a pervert. Passing this scene reconstruction for the least malicious in her head, she became aware of his sleeping form rather uncomfortable as half of his body seemed to be on the sofa and the other half outside the sofa limits.

Touko carefully pulled his legs on the couch, trying not to move too much and not let the sleeping beauty awake. Having him neatly fixed on the couch, she noticed his face, facing up to her. His long eyelashes cast a shadow beneath his eyes and his mouth, slightly open to breathe for more air, left his pink unprotected lips an inviting message for someone else's lips to crush over them. She felt uneasy as well as excited about the sight of Touya and the arguments being pleaded inside her head. Good, bad? Who cares? She absolutely had to keep her composure and think of him as only a freeloader, even if he was, in some way, the owner of the mansion.

While thinking about the extremely delicate situation, Touya's words from before repeated themselves in her head. _"You can't imagine how I missed you and wanted to be held in your warm embrace, soft fingers slowly running through my hair and your gentle strokes on my chest when I felt sad." _

Touko looked down at him and suppressed by a huge pain in her chest, she couldn't help, but gaze at the incredible handsome face. He was handsome, yes, she never said the opposite, but was he seeing her the same way she was seeing him? Never lying about the fact that she thinks of him like a heartless jerk and heartbreaker, just sometimes in moments like this, it made it hard for her to cling to labels of names that won't show how someone truly is, but instead show the relationship between them using these names.

She looked at the clock and reminded herself that it was time for Touya's medicine. Luckily, she had already left the medicine on the coffee table in front of her just so she could go back up to him after she had finished the quiz. Holding Touya closely to her with her left hand around his waist, she stretched her right arm to get the medicine on the table now, a few inches away. She took the spoon along with the medicine at the same time, a sweat drop forming on her forehead due to this delicate operation. Not mentioning the blush on her face as she touched the masculine waist and paying attention to not lean her chest too close to his face.

The both items on both of her hands, she poured the medicine into the spoon before feeding to him while slowly opening his lips apart with her fingers. A little bit of liquid escaped from the corner of his lips and Touko wiped it off with her thumb, not resisting touching his soft parted lips, the same ones as the ones who brushed against hers. Of course, she felt strange about these sudden needs to touch him or taking advantage to touch him in places that she knows that she would never dare to touch when he's wide and awake. One thing was clear, these "needs" weren't normal and she wished for nothing more as to only feel despise as well as complete neutral feelings towards him. And somehow, today was different than any other day where she actually felt all the previous feelings, they became…tender.

Touya was fast asleep and Touko tucked a few strands of his hair that were covering his eyes behind his ears. Running softly her fingers through his hair, she felt as if travelling back in time and tried to think how Touya's mother was the one who was stroking his rebellious bed hair. With her free left hand, she moved her fingers over his stomach all the way up to his chest, smiling at all ups and downs under her fingers, where his hard muscles were located.

Her fingers stopped on his chest. His heart was beating a steady rhythm and she closed her eyes, mesmerized by the beauty of the sound thumping against his manly chest, echoing through her fingers to her eardrums. She closed her eyes to better feel the melody of his heart. Soon, their two hearts's beating melted together to synchronize into one. With her eyes gently closed, she drifted into a beautiful and musical slumber.

Touko twitched at the sudden cold she felt at different places of her body. Her bare arms were warmer which earlier felt a bit cold and her lap felt somehow empty and also cold that once where covered by another human warmth. Her eyes fluttered open, rubbing them slowly one after the other with one hand, she looked around and at the empty space on her lap. No Touya was to be seen, but a strange scent could be detected. She sniffed in trying to recognise what was being made; the scent surely came from the kitchen and no denying that it's food.

Cautiously, she made her way to the kitchen with tiny and calculated steps_. "Could it be that Mom came back sooner because of Touya's condition?"_ Touko thought how happy her mother was at the so say "business trip" organized by Touya's father and immediately chased the possibility away. Then she thought of it being Touya, but wasn't he back to his room? She hadn't felt him leaving and he couldn't possibly be cooking with his condition or maybe… Fed up, by all the "who is it" questions, Touko peeked into the kitchen to find no one other than the devil behind the oven flames.

Not controlling the surprised squeak coming out of her mouth, Touya turned around to her, still holding the pot over the medium lit flames. "Oh, you're awake sleepyhead? Sit down; I'm almost finished with the cooking. Eating preheated stuff isn't good, you must be glad about me being able to cook right? No, no, don't say anything I know I'm amazing, not just with the girls, but with the foods too!" His voice was clearly better although there was still a bit of a husky accent in it and plus he looked fine. His face revealed his devilish smile combined with the pale colour of illness on the rest of his face, compared to his normal slightly tanned colour.

Touko sighed at the usual "Touya greeting + insert lovely or irritating nickname here". _"Now it's sleepyhead?"_ She let it slide for once as she headed to the table to sit on her favourite spot. Sitting firmly on the chair, she couldn't help, but think if Touya was really alright. She wouldn't want him to suddenly faint (like earlier) and give her the work to drag him to the couch and he wasn't light at all. It turns out that she straightforwardly asked him what was on her mind. "Are you sure that you can stand and cook here with your condition? In case you've forgotten, I remind you that you have a cold."

Having received no answer, she looked around for any clue about what was on the menu. Two sets of silverware were spread before her and before the seat opposite to her, including both a fork and a…spoon? _"What the hell could be eaten with a fork and a spoon?"_ She was getting more and more eager as Touya suddenly turned around, two plates balancing in his both hands, and walking towards the table to put one plate in front of her and the other in the seat opposite of hers.

Touko looked down_, "Spaghetti with meat balls?"_ She giggled slowly down her breath; this kind of reminded her of some movie with two dogs eating under a moonlit sky eating a plate of pasta just like this one except the fact that they weren't going to kiss again like those dogs. Shivers run through her as she remembered that maybe Touya could have memories about what happened between them. She felt her stomach knot and noticed Touya stopping to attack on his dinner to look at her arching a brow in question. "Don't judge by the looking. It's not that bad you know." She shook her head, "It's not what I'm uneasy about, it's…" She was at loss for words. Could she even manage to say them? It was the same back there with the tongue touching and when asking about his mother, but this was an embarrassing matter!

She began to eat to wave away the awkward silence that had settled between them. Touya was the one who broke the silence. "Come to think of it, I can't really remember what happened when I was lying in bed…Maybe you're acting so strange because you did something intimate with me, didn't you?" He devilish smiled her and the pink dots came risen up on her face again. With the same teasing voice he continued, "Well, I did sleep on your lap, which I precise is soft and cosy, so I had to show you my gratitude by making the dinner." _"I knew it, he never says "thanks" like I expected."_ Ignoring the first part of his second sentence, she smiled to herself. _"At least he made dinner in compensation. And YES he doesn't remember!"_

Feeling a pair of devilish brown eyes observing her, she put her fork down and slowly raised her eyes to the hazel coloured ones. "What? Is something stuck on my face?" She said clueless what the boy opposite of her might be looking at. If she looked closely she could notice that it wasn't his face or lips or eyes he was looking at, it was her chest. This gave her a more awkward feeling.

"I like your T-shirt, it matches my jacket perfectly. Even if the colour suits me better than you, you're not that bad looking with it, in fact, you look more feminine in those clothes." It took her a few seconds to understand what he was saying as she suddenly noticed for the first time that she was wearing Touya's favourite jacket. She gave out a nervous laugh. Was he complimenting her just for wearing his favourite colour?

Touya rose up to get the bottle of water out of the fridge and Touko embraced herself with both of her arms to absorb the scent coming from the jacket while Touya wasn't looking. How could she not have noticed that she was wearing his jacket? Warmth escaped from it to her pores and she inhaled the scent, **his **scent, in powerful breathings. This little moment made her realize two things. One person was being ejected while another one was making he's way through her body to get into her heart. One question remains, will she let him in?

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><p><em>While you review, and I hope you do, you could also tell me some ideas about the next chapter because i have no clue what to write next, but don't worry it will eventually come... at least I hope it does...<em>


	8. Chapter 8: The color of Hope

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Pokemon (sadly)

_Yes, it's chapter 8, you're not dreaming! I'm so sorry that I didn't update more soon, but I had some problems and yeah, well anyway to make me forgive my long absence, here is a super looong chapter. Hope you enjoy reading it. By the way, thank you for the kind reviews, keep it up guys!_

**Chapter 8 :** The color of hope

Fresh, cold air filled the secluded room and brushed against Touko's stunned face. Her stare stopped at the empty space of the drinks compartment in the fridge. Letting out a sigh of displeasure she closed back the fridge door and looked up to the freezer. Knowing that she will find it empty too, she still held onto the tiny little hope of seeing a refreshing something and thus she opened it with a secure pull. However, as soon as she had opened it, she closed it immediately after the horrendous sea being she just perceived.

She held her fingers up to her nose and pinched it to stop smelling the odor that escaped its habitat to come pestering up her sensible nose. Walking with powerful steps to the living room, heading towards the devil being who had been, as strange as it sounds, mixing her feelings upside down. Touya was lying on the couch, watching the famous "Poké-show" with lots of empty cans of soda and packets of crisps lying on the ground all around the couch. He was wearing a black tank top and grey jogging trousers which he had rolled up to rest on his knees. She stopped a few feet from the couch away, wiping the sweat that was returning on her forehead. Just when she thought that summer was finally ending and the weather was becoming colder, this day comes where it's as hot as hell. All she wanted was to go back and stuck her head in the fridge where coldness would surround her from everywhere but she wouldn't risk catching a cold.

She sighed. _"So that's where all the drinks disappeared to…"_ Touko slowly began to tiptoe away from the unaware Touya but sadly he heard her step on an empty can. He turned his head in her direction with an inviting yet devilish smile. "Going somewhere Sunshine?"

"_So that's my new nickname huh? He never runs out of those, right?"_ The will to answer him wasn't in on her but she chose to do so just to avoid any more annoying questions. "At the supermarket, I need to buy new drinks because _**apparently**_ someone drunk it all." With that said she rushed to the door and closed it quickly behind her, flying over the little amount of steps in front of the mansion. It was only after she reached the gate that she heard the voice of a person she would rather avoid for the rest of the day.

"Wait for me Sunshine, I'm coming too!" Touya yelled, over flying the steps two at a time. Touko, however, didn't stop and continued walking. The happenings of the day before were still vivid on her mind so it was only natural for her of wanting to avoid remembering the touch of his skin, his soft messy bed hair, his slow beating heart and his kiss… There it was again, her heart was beating a mile the minute causing her blush to come back after a long moment of absence. Being with Touya was forcing her to feel things she shouldn't been feeling.

She stopped short only to give him a concluding glare, "Can't you just leave me alone for a second? Do you have to follow me wherever I go like a little puppy?" Okay her words were harsh but she did want to be left alone.

Touya blinked a few times while being left behind. Touko continued on her trip, feeling reassured when she didn't hear any steps behind her but it didn't last long as Touya made his way after her with rushed steps.

"With what happened the other day, I'm not sure if it's a good idea to let you wander off somewhere alone. Who knows, you could pass out somewhere and someone could take advantage of the situation." Touko almost stumbled on a little rock when hearing this sudden statement. From the corner of her eye, she took a peek at him, wondering if this time he was serious, but his carefree whistling and looking straight ahead, made her think that he could be both joking or serious. Not wanting to show her surprised reaction, Touko diverted her eyes back in front of her and quickly made up an answer.

"I can take care of myself, thank you and why would you even care?" The question came out of her mouth without giving a thought about it.

"Because you will become my stepsister." Touya grinned at her and Touko's face stunned at his response. He really had the words to make her speechless and with the truth no less. This time he crossed her limit of "Touya toleration".

Touko stopped only to position herself in front of the confused Touya. "Okay, let me make this clear when I say I want to be left alone, I mean it. So, please don't bother me anymore!" After expressing herself with easy understandable words, she started to rush away again. Feeling followed she turned around and as she expected the devil was on her tracks…again.

Letting out a sigh of frustration she started to walk backwards, not quitting her eyes from Touya's. "Look, what did you not understand in my previous sentence? Leave me alone I need some time to think for myself." As she was walking backwards, Touya was doing the same only forwards, a sudden unusual worried expression on his face.

"But, Sunshine-" "No, I don't want to hear anything coming from you anymore." She cut him directly, slightly questioning herself about his expression but waving it off as it could probably be her eyes playing tricks on her.

Not stopping from her backwards walking she pointed a finger on him ready to cut whatever he was going to let out, but satisfied that he was finally stopping. "Good, stay right there. I'll be back before you'll even know it." She was about to turn around, but thought otherwise when she saw Touya's waving hands.

"Look out Sun-" Sadly, his voice was barely audible. "What are you trying to-ahhhhh." At first she didn't understand what was happening around her when her surroundings had suddenly changed from a park view to a cloudless blue sky. Her foot had hit something hard and the unbalance made her fall backwards. There she was lying in what seemed to be a fountain in the central park. While talking and trying to avoid her future sibling, she hadn't paid attention to her surroundings at all.

The white refreshing fluid came streaming from above onto her face and as cold as the water splashed, she felt like resting in there all day. Her eyes were beginning to close as a face appeared right in front of her. "Sunshine, are you alright?" Touya approached at the foot of the fountain, receiving a few moans in return.

Aside from the fact that she was feeling so fresh under the cold water, she didn't realize the pain that was striking her back after the recent accident. While wondering if it would be wise to quit the heaven where she landed to, to return to the hotness of hell, she unexpectedly perceived a hand being held to her. "It's not that I want to ruin your fun, but people are starting to look at you."

With an unwilling groan she took his hand and was lifted effortlessly to her feet out of the fountain. "Ouch it hurts like hell." She felt her back for any injuries and she cursed in her mind when she had felt the exact spot where a wound was probably forming.

"Here it is. I knew it wasn't safe to let you go on your own." The fact that he was right made it all the more irritating as he continued with his speech. "And now you're all drenched, here let me give you my jacket." He started to loosen his jacket that he had tied around his waist before he left home. Seeing him handing his jacket to her, she uncontrollably stepped back, remembering what happened the day before at dinner.

She was only closing her eyes for a few seconds, taking in all of the masculine smell emanating from the blue jacket. Before she knew it, her eyes had led her into an imaginary realm, also called a dream. Yes, she had fallen asleep like an old grandma who drifted off to take a nap after a good meal. But this wasn't what surprised her the most, in fact, when she woke up today, she found herself lying on her bed with still the blue jacket hanging around her shoulders. She had no idea, how or when she landed there where she was now, one thing was sure, she didn't remember walking up to her room. If she had indeed, gone to her room alone, she would have given the blue jacket unless…

There she had felt a sudden warmth filling up her cheeks, could it have been that Touya was the one bringing her to bed? In any case, even if he was the one who did it, nothing was being shown on his face that he really was the one. Even when she had gone down for breakfast, she was greeted by a delicious sweetened aroma which belonged to pancakes and her new "nickname". Following this, Touya never mentioned what happened the night before even when Touko had handed his jacket back and honestly she didn't have (again) the courage to ask him.

Ending the flashback in her mind, she slightly shook her head to put herself back to reality and at the same time refusing Touya's jacket. It was the best she could do to stop these uncontrollable emotions flowing inside her at the moment.

Touya looked at her with a confused look as if he tried to debate whether he had to convince her to take the jacket or back off. Lastly, by seeing her distancing herself, he decided to reattach the jacket back to its original place. Touko let out a sigh, trying to get all the water she could out of her clothes by squeezing it dry.

"Oh c'mon you can't go on always refusing everything I offer!" His sudden exclamation startled her as she noticed him standing in front of her. _"Everything he offers? What is that supposed to mean now?"_ She looked up to him, a skeptical look on her face, which only provoked Touya to use it the hard way around. "Here I'll show ya, it'll be just like a date." He literally grabbed her hand, her body being dragged against her will to a place unbeknownst to her.

She lost trail of how many times she had repeated the word "date" in her mind. This time, his face expressions were unreadable, not a trace of pure devilish-smiles had been seen, and this was a first compared to the other situations of flirting she had been through. It seemed that she could just for today, believe that all this was being serious.

They arrived at the supermarket, much to Touko's relief, she wouldn't' t like to have ended up in a place she did not know anything of and where she couldn't find her way back in case she eventually had fought with Touya. She had many times tried to retrieve her hand back to freedom but Touya's firm hold on her hand didn't give her a chance. While they were browsing the rows of canned sodas, Touko overheard a certain snickering behind her back and not a good one at that.

"Do you see that girl with that childish ponytail and rag clothes with the hot guy, Brittany?" "Yeah, she has no clue whatsoever about what style is but I'm totally attracted to that guy though. She, like, doesn't deserve to have such a nice guy, don't you think Tiffany? "Yeah, I so agree with you Brittany!"

She had no clue who these Brittany and Tiffany were but one thing was sure, she hated them. These were the types of girls Touya must probably deal with every day and she had absolutely no need to butt into trouble for his matters. Touko tried to free her hand once more in vain, Touya's hand still leeched into hers, making her unable to move. The only thing she wanted at this precise moment was running far, far away, someplace where someone wouldn't call her clothes "rags" or define her hair style as "childish". Her uneasy face was maybe showed as Touya stopped to put the rest of the chosen canned drinks into the basket he had put on the ground. Lifting this same basket up with his free hand, the devilish lover turned around, spinning her at the same time and made his move towards the two now distinguishable girls.

These same girls were not much older than Touko, in fact, they were normal teenage girls with too short skirts, plunging necklines and too many accessories which only put more weigh to their already under the normal-limit weight, seeing as the trend demanded one to be skinny. Still dragging her without any consent on her side, Touya stopped in front of the two, upon closer look, heavy make-up plastered girls.

"Beautiful ladies, I'm sorry to interrupt such an interesting conversation between the both of you-", Touya stopped halfway to check whether he was being listened or not. As expected the girls had driven into fairyland as soon as he had "complimented" them, no use to continue, it was clear to her that he had already won. "-but I would really appreciate it if you would respect my current escort." Ok, now she was an escort? Obviously Victorian-language was unexpectedly a big hit with the girls, it wasn't her cup of tea, but it seemed to work with every other girl Touya flirted with, without his devilish smile being involved.

The girls came back from their dream world pretty quickly as they simultaneously glared at Touko then smiled back at Touya a little too much to her taste. "But, we can give you anything you'd ever like. If you knew how much we have to offer, things she doesn't even give you, you would definitely not hesitate." Tiffany or Brittany whatever the name was that Touko didn't remember or didn't give a damn about, chanted her words like an aphrodisiac spell not leaving Touya's eyes for every gold in the world. For a moment, Touko thought that he would really succumb to her romantic advances, but his straight face made her think otherwise.

"I'm terribly sorry, but I have to refuse. I have no doubt that you could satisfy me with your offer, however, I'm already busy tonight, thank you." Followed by his Victorian refusal, he gave out his devilish smile which made the two teenage girls drive of to dreamland again. _"Tch, what kind of girl can resist falling into complete temptation in front of this guy?"_ Rolling her eyes, she started to pull him towards the cashier and strangely he didn't resist but followed her willingly. She was maybe the only one on this planet to resist him, putting her recent weird feelings aside but for how long?

Touya put all of the merchandise on the counter, refusing Touko's help. She had offered her help in seeing him struggle to put everything up and here again the word "offer" was really being used many times in just a single day. This let her to ask herself more unanswered questions in her head, pilling up question after question which will end up like all the previous ones, in an old dusty shelf on her mind to only being opened in a far lying future or never.

"_Oh c'mon you can't go on always refusing everything I offer!"_ Thinking back, she didn't get a clear look at his face the moment these words had left his mouth. A shame she was now being engulfed into another dilemma, what things was he offering as he said? His companionship? His friendship? His love? Wait, what was the last one for? It just had to be a joke, the devilish lover doesn't know what love is and sadly, love is probably the thing he needed the most.

A sudden wriggling made her break out of her reverie. She turned her head to examine her "escort" and noticed him having trouble with opening his wallet. Even though he was in such a difficult position, Touko just couldn't understand why he wouldn't let go of her hand. He was making this situation uncomfortable for her and surely for the cashier too. She was relieved in seeing that the cashier was a male; she couldn't take another discrimination of the ponytail hair style.

Touko let out a sigh at the wriggling boy, "Just let go of my hand already." Hearing this, the cashier turned his bored expression into an approving smile; he too must have been waiting for Touya to speed up his payment since it was near the change of shifts.

"Nope, I won't." The cashier sighed, leaning back into his chair with the boring look rising back to his face; his hope of being released from work sooner than expected had just crashed.

"Why?" He looked at her with a frown as if the answer to her question was as obvious as the color of the sky.

"Well", he paused in his sentence after, finally, having opened his wallet and was now digging into it in search for money. Touko was surprised about the rich jerk having his wallet on him this time, she remembered the time where he had begged for her to buy him an ice cream at the shopping center. She had refused, clearly offended for paying for someone way richer than her with her meager allowance. Yes, since her mother doesn't like to depend on others and in this case, depend on Touya's father's money, Touko has to live of her mother's savings at least until they were married. Then, she should be able to receive the triple of what she gets now.

Touko felt her hand being gently squeezed as Touya continued his before paused sentence.

"For the sole reason that if I would ever let go of your hand, you would escape through the nearest exit without even looking back or even think of me, running after you and I can't let that happen. It seems that every time I try to be near you, you always find something to avoid me for a reason I don't know of and that makes me feel…empty. Don't ask me why, because I, myself don't know. I guess, you kind of give a feeling of someone wanting to be near you."

The words came engrave themselves on her mind; she knew she would never forget them as beautiful as they sounded. There is a say that quotes that a woman can remember all the beautiful words a man gives her. It was also quite surprising that he was the one saying something as such. Touko was in awe and her mouth was making ups and downs, not knowing what to answer or if she should even answer. Sure, his words could maybe not have a meaning behind them or they were only "soon to be sibling" gentle words; she shouldn't even have thoughts about them.

"_Why the hell am I making a fuss about it?"_ They were on the way back to the mansion and Touya had again refused to accept her help on the carrying of the shopping bags. Seeing as they bought a lot to fill two whole bags, Touko thought that it was only natural to offer her help. Here again, Touya was still holding onto her hand, not letting her "escape" as he had said earlier on.

Only a few minutes after having left the supermarket, Touko was already earning a few glares from Touya's fan girls. It was one thing to walk normally beside him, nobody would suspect anything, but it was another one if she was holding hands with the Unova's renowned Devilish Lover. It seemed that the more steps she took, the more her life expectancy was being shortened.

The air was becoming muffled the more they walked and Touko tried to free herself again, the cold menacing glares was being effective in making her feel highly uncomfortable. Too bad it didn't work like she thought; feeling her hand moving out of his, Touya had grabbed her hand more firmly but not too much to hurt her. She sighed, swallowing her defeat down. Even her hard training in throwing Pokeball after Pokeball, forming a hard muscle in her right arm, without having anticipated it in the first place, didn't match against his hard muscles. After all, she knew exactly how they felt under her fingers. Hard, well-built, the fruit of long-year muscle training, somehow she still felt the quivers on her fingers and she was starting to miss it.

Arrived back at the mansion, Touko immediately yanked her hand back from Touya's. He didn't seem surprised, but the look he gave showed that he had expected it. Balancing the two bags in one hand, he headed towards the kitchen to refill the fridge with the new bought drinks. No word was spoken during their walk back, but her constant attempts of escape and his firm grip was speaking for them. She looked down at her hand where his hand had fit perfectly; the warm reassuring grip was still there somehow. She finally decided to turn on the TV for a change, but the silence was soon broken.

"Anything good on TV?" Touya yelled from the kitchen, but the question was easily ignored by Touko who was being interested by the show that was starting. Unfortunately, the kitchen had decorative double doors made of glass so that a person standing in the kitchen with the doors closed could see what was happening in the living room and vice versa. Today they were wide open and didn't prevent Touya from peering in.

"Are you alright?" The sudden interruption made her flinch for a second, mumbling a "yeah" to the other side of the door.

The show was about the different legendary Pokemon of Unova. She doesn't know why, but she loved to watch it, looking at the different legendary Pokemon when she herself had one as her companion for life. Sadly, she knew another person who also had this type of Pokemon and this revelation made her remember that actually she hated the show. Before she could even switch over to another channel, a special weather forecast interrupted the current show.

"We interrupt this program for an important weather forecast. This night the sky will darken with thick forming black clouds, heavy rains and thunder might ensue. Be prepared for a possible power cut in the south of Unova as well. The thunderstorm will at the most last all-night. We thank you for your loyalty and invite you to enjoy your following program."

The image faded to black, then showed the continuation of the before interrupted program. Touko stared with a blank expression the TV in front of her. _"A thunderstorm? Ha… ha must be a joke, it is still warm and comfy out there."_ Her thoughts were soon contradicted by a loud noise coming from outside with the familiar noise of the rain falling in heavy drops. Her body shivered and she repeatedly tried to calm her mind with comforting words.

After having heard the news, Touya came popping out from the kitchen to stand beside Touko, not noticing her disturbed reaction. He looked out the window up to the darkened sky, just like the weather forecast had indicated.

"If this thunderstorm becomes as bad as the weather forecast predicted then I have to guess that Mom and Dad's flight might be delayed because of the bad weather here." His words didn't quite get to her, but if it did she would have corrected his sentence by saying that they weren't related for him to call her Mom,_** his**_ Mom. It could be called selfish, unreasonable or even inevitable as she knew that sooner or later they would become related, but something inside her wouldn't let her accept it or couldn't.

A white light suddenly appeared outside, followed by its noise, startling even Touya who was now distancing himself from the window. As expected, a power cut occurred. Touko's heartbeat quickened as darkness began to envelop her from all sides, her hands tightened in fists, shaking to the bones. And today she even forgot to attach her X-transceiver on her wrist, so it didn't help either.

"Light, I need light!" Even though she yelled this, light wouldn't come out of nowhere illuminating this darkness she was in, but shouting this out made her feel calmer.

"Wait Sunshine, I'm coming." She heard Touya's voice somewhere near her and she couldn't say that it was reassuring her. It was only light that she needed, not someone, and especially not Touya. Out of all the people, it had to be Touya whom she was showing her weak side to. It had always been him, at the haunted house, at the Ferris wheel, back at the cemetery when she blacked out and now this.

A sound of someone bumping into an object caught Touko's ears and from the sound of Touya's bad muffled cry of pain, she figured out he bumped into the coffee table near her. Suddenly she felt something touching her chest, more exactly her breast, and she automatically slapped the air.

"Ouch, you just slapped my nose!" Touko felt the heat rising on her face. "Sorry that I slapped the wrong place, I was aiming for your _**cheek**_!" She sarcastically replied back, crossing her arms protectively over her chest. If he ever tried to take the advantage of the darkness they were in, he would taste her fist again, and it wouldn't be only a slap this time.

After an awkward silence Touya spoke up again. "So that was the soft squishy thing I was feeling? I thought it was something else, seeing how it was rather small…" Touko's fists clenched into balls. _"Small? Well I'm sorry that I don't have a bigger chest!"_ Her words formed into thoughts that she really wanted to shout at him. The only thing she wanted to do was run in a far away place, somewhere with no Touya around. She desperately wanted to get up from this couch and crouch into the farthest corner of the room.

However, her wish was not fulfilled as her legs lazily and cowardly stayed on the fine cloth of the couch. _"Damn this darkness!"_ While she was thinking of a way to get out of the current hell she found herself in, the free space beside her got occupied with the lord of this same hell. A puff of wind greeted her face and her left leg got brushed by a larger one. Touya was now sitting beside her on the couch, very close, too close in Touko's opinion. Somehow, just in having a body beside her, no matter who, send her a warm feeling in all of her limbs. It was as if the presence of the person could warm you up just by sitting next to you. Maybe it was because the person was Touya or maybe because in this situation, all that she needed was someone next to her.

The rain was crashing against the windows, seeking any little hole to penetrate into the room. The sound of a thunderbolt appearing nearby surprised Touko who quivered at the sound. This made her remember what she was afraid of. "It's like I thought, the thunderstorm is getting worse. My father has a basement at the lower level, we'll be safer there." She felt him rising up from the couch, leaving her sitting there alone. _"Where the hell is that basement?"_ She thought a little fearfully, not knowing where the basement could actually be.

More puffs of wind went brushing against her face. She looked up, but nothing seemed to be recognizable in the dark when she got enlightened by Touya. "Are you going to take my hand or not? I prefer waving it in front of you than mistakenly touching your chest, if you can call that a chest that is." Touya muffled his laughter while saying the last sentence in an inaudible mumble which Touko heard very clearly.

"I remind you that if I'm going to be treated that way then I would rather stay here alone!" _"No I don't."_ She countered his offer with a refusal, even though she said she wanted to be alone, her mind did clearly say the opposite. With that said, she stomped the ground with her foot like a spoiled brat and it somehow hurt her pride, but there was no other way to make him understand how angry she was.

"Ok, ok I'll leave without you then and if you don't see the roof anymore, I'll advise you to run." He snickered mischievously, distancing himself with faint footsteps. _"Did he say that only to scare me or does he mean it?" _Before she could start to panic again she felt the puffs of wind returning. Instinctively, she looked up even though she knew she couldn't see a thing.

"You didn't think I'd leave you alone would you? If I would do that I think that our parents, your childhood friends plus people you might know in the Pokemafia and your beloved Zekrom would kill me." He waved his hand more frantically in front of her. _"Humph so that's the only reason? Because he thinks he would be killed? Guess, it's better than nothing…"_ She was beginning to take his hand when she heard him mumbling.

"And-" He paused seeming to hesitate then continued more clearly, "-I couldn't forgive myself if something happened to you." Here it was again. The proof that he was always able to make her speechless. This time again she couldn't see if he was being serious about being hurt if something would happen to her or if he was just saying this because they would be soon related. She was thinking too much of everything each time and she couldn't help it.

Touko felt the air with her hand, trying to detect Touya's hand. She found it and soon his hand came closing down on hers, lifting her from the couch and leading her to the basement, wherever it could be.

'Too bad I left my X-transceiver in my room, but I should be able to find the door downstairs." She knew it; she could even have it sworn. They were walking for a while and Touko knew they reached the second part of the mansion. The Summers mansion was divided into two parts. The first one contained all the essential rooms, like the kitchen, the dining room (it is often unused as they eat a lot in the kitchen), the living room, the library that lies left when we enter by the front door, then upstairs the rooms of everybody and the third floor containing the gymnasium and the secret room only recently discovered, not forgetting the bathrooms which she didn't know how much of them were built. She never wandered to the second part as it was described as a maze by its own owner.

The first and second parts were linked by a glass walled hallway. There you could find more than a hundred different rooms with all kinds of pointless uses. Who would ever need a room full of tea bags for? Yes those kinds of rooms. Nevertheless, she had heard that Touya's father managed the mansion into two parts so that she and her mother could easily find the necessary rooms.

Touko noticed him counting the doors that they bypassed, probably to recognize which room was the basement door. She began to doubt, "Euhm, Touya do you even know where it is?" "Trust me, 13, I know where it is. I know, 14, this place like the pockets of my pants." He replied not stopping to count the doors. _"Yeah, and he couldn't even find a quarter in his pocket the other day, probably because he didn't have it at the beginning!"_ Nevertheless, the only thing she could do was to believe him.

"Ah here it is." They stopped and she nearly bumped on his back if it wasn't for his firm hold on her hand. He opened the door and they stepped inside, a very small light lit a case to the right, next to the door. As soon as they stepped in the darkened room, Touya held her by the shoulders to stop her from venturing any farther. "Stop, if you take any more steps, you'll fall down a huge row of stairs." She stopped sharp and didn't dare to move anymore when she felt Touya's hands moving away from her shoulders and taking both of her hands to put them on his waist. The first thought that crossed her mind was to instantly pull them back but she didn't know where the stairs would be, so she held on him while he was fiddling with the buttons on the case.

"If I press the correct buttons, we'll be able to see clearer. Only the basement is equipped with candles which light up automatically with the right combination of buttons even this light here is made with a special solar system that lets it run without electricity. This case actually controls all the lights in the mansion. My father had showed me the correct buttons one day but… I forgot them." _"Right and now you are desperately trying to find the right combination while I'm kind of holding your waist!"_ It didn't dislike her to touch him but she was more embarrassed about the whole situation. She kept the silence to let her companion concentrate, a silence that was soon broken by him himself.

"You know-" He paused, sighing to have gotten the wrong combination, " when my father was young, he lived with my grandparents on a farm in the countryside. My father hated it, but the farm was everything for them."

"_He descended from a poor family then."_ After more fiddling he continued, "Actually they owned more than twenty farms in all of Unova and every year a new farm was created." Ok this part made her crush some hopes, no more thinking, just listening.

"People often asked them why they wouldn't retreat back and live peaceful lives, letting other people work for them on the farm they lived in and control everything outside because not every boss cares about working in his own company, he mostly just orders people around. But my grandparents loved the farm life; they were maybe rich but not lazy. My father couldn't understand this, but one night everything changed. It was cold and windy outside, a storm had suddenly surfaced and my grandparents only said it would be brief and would stop anytime soon. They were wrong. That night my father awoke by the howling of the wind, piercing through the wooden walls of the farm house. The storm had gotten worse and my father instantly ran into my grandparents' room. They were wide awake, holding my father in their arms, clenching him stronger each time they heard a thunderbolt. The roof tiles were making rattling noises with each wind gust that grew stronger and stronger. They really believed that they would die there and that they would never see the color of the sun again when they fell asleep, it was hard but they had rather close their eyes and dream of a better world than see what was happening right there. The next day, they woke up but they soon found something horrible."

He paused again, sighing again and again in defeat to the buttons Touko was impatiently awaiting the end of the story, and she just hoped she wouldn't cry. She wouldn't admit it, but every time someone died in a movie who she really liked, her tears would come raining down without warning. Yes, she was emotional so then what?

"The three of them got out of the room and the house was completely devastated with things lying down on the floor and parts of the roof were missing, but it wasn't what mattered the most to them. They were still alive, but all the vegetables and fruits crops, all died down and to their horror, the animals in the house right next door, all died too. Tears started to shed in their eyes and there my father understood. My grandparents loved the animals like their own family and seeing how they were extended on the ground, lifeless, gave them a heartbreak. So then my father promised to make that change and he created the "Stormstop Corporation". He decided to create all kinds of technology to make people lives well in avoiding more damage than needed because of natural disasters, but he also improves electricity for everyone. You probably heard of the "Animbase Security" my father created. It's a basement for animals and it got very popular in the younger years when farm business was still flourishing. Now my grandparents retired and live happily in a farm with many kinds of animals, I would call it a zoo but they don't like it when I do." He chuckled at his last sentence.

Actually, all along his story, Touko felt drawn to his voice, it was so gentle even in the horrible parts. His voice was also calming and she nearly went on embracing him from behind, gladly she didn't do it though, he would take her for a crazy woman or he would like it, due to his womanizer nature. Either way it would be wrong.

She didn't realize her hands clenched on his shirt as the story had a sad point to it that remembered her father. Touya must have seen her sudden silence and put a hand on hers calmly. "Don't worry, I'll get us out of this darkness, then you'll be able to see the Devilish Lover in his entire splendor again." Touko sighed, rolling her eyes. _"Okay, he's never going to change is he?_ _Whenever we are having a good moment, he always manages to break it."_ She had thought of letting her hands go but her gaze had stopped to the probably location of the stairs and she wouldn't want to die so soon, not in this situation and with this person.

"Ah, found it~!" Touya sang with a prideful voice, having pressed the right combination of the buttons which now let the automatic solar candles lit up the room. Touko jumped back, releasing Touya's shirt and she pushed herself to the wall behind her. Her reaction was the most suitable in this case; she had been awfully surprised in seeing that the stairs were just one step away from her. Touya looked at her with a confused look but after having noticed the stairs, he immediately understood.

"Come, I'll lead you downstairs." He held his hand towards her, no trace of a possibly mocking tone attached to his words. Touko of course refused his hand, even though her mind told her to snatch it away and drag him downstairs by herself. She shook her head fiercely; her thought was once again wandering far away.

"Don't need it. I'll find my way alone." With that said, she started walking down the ridiculously huge amount of stairs that were laid before her. Touya's father was really serious in this kind of business, the stairs were burying deep into the ground and the farther they walked the colder and muffler the air seemed to become. Finally, reaching the end of the stairs, Touya pushed the door to the actual basement open, entering the room first to switch some buttons on the wall.

The lights flashed open with the same system as the candles by the stairs. A welcoming light display lit the room with a mild creamed color, casting shadows to the luxury furniture below it. The basement could be compared to any other normal basement there was, except for the high-class sofas, useless objects for decoration and the fireplace by the right wall which definitely had cost an arm and a leg so much it sparkled with precious metals.

Touko was in awe at the scene before her eyes, while Touya was settling himself comfortably on the rug near the fireplace after having ignited it with a low flickering flame. Touko tried to debate whether she wanted to join him or just keep as much distance as possible away from him as the room was big enough to host at least fifty people. Having reached no conclusion to her thoughts, she decided to sit next to the devil as he was already motioning for her to join him. She grabbed two near lying pillows on the couch, letting them fall into the rug. However, one of the two pillows was stolen before it even touched the floor. She shot the pillownapper a glare, but decided not to complain or return back to the couch to grab another pillow, feeling the laziness getting the best of her so late at night.

There they were, sitting in front of the fireplace in silence like an old couple of retirees; but it didn't matter to Touko, hearing only silence when having Touya next to her was something she dreamt of happening everyday. If every day this guy would shut his mouth, not letting any embarrassing or flirting words escape from his devilish smiles, then it would be easy to live through the day, maybe she could even stand being in the same room. Why was she thinking these things, after all, her feelings were so confusing that she didn't know it she really hated him like the first day. _"Do I really hate him?"_

"No, I don't think so." Touko jumped back, nearly falling backwards on her back from the place she was thinking. "W-what?" _"Did he read my mind or did I really say it out loud?"_ Her heartbeat quickened, if he had heard her, he could think that she was doubting about her feelings and that she could become an easy target, what she would clearly never be.

"I was thinking about my past." Touya said, staring into the rising flame burning the darkened wood. _"The past? Oh, it could be about his mother!"_ She was just guessing, true, but her intuition was telling her that it really could be his mother. This moment was the most ideal to ask about his mother even though she did already know a part of it, she needed more details. She was sure that he wouldn't snap like back then at her father's grave, the story about his grandparents was a proof that he was somewhat trusting her.

"What happened?" Touya gave her a surprised look as if he hadn't expected her sudden interest.

"Are…you okay?"

"Of course I'm okay. I'm just curious, that's all." It's true that she wouldn't give a damn about his past under other circumstances (and feelings) and it was only normal for him to be surprised, seeing as Touko never asked him things about him nor if he was alright and if he wanted to talk about his problems with her. After a brief shrug of the shoulders, Touya continued, returning his gaze back to the fire.

"It's nothing important compared to the other thing we have to talk about." She cursed in her mind at her failed attempt and at his uncooperativeness. However, his sentence made her confused, what other thing was there to talk about? _"If he ever says to go to sleep together, I'll slap him!"_

Touko arched a brow at him, asking him to enlighten her. "About your phobia. Can't say if it was because of the thunderstorm or if it was the power cut caused by it."

There, he had stabbed an old wound in her heart, but not enough to reopen the scar left by it. Her fingers started to tremble without her noticing it. "My…father." These were the only words she managed to let out with a shaky voice. Her throat was getting dry, nearly dehydrating itself, aching in the process.

"The car accident? Your mother told me a bit about that day." Touya's voice sounded sad yet controlled, not showing any trace of a playful or mocking intention.

"_**I caused it."**_

Touko nodded slightly, not seeing if Touya saw her nod as her face was burying the pillow she held more tightly in her arms.

"Your father was just at the wrong place at the wrong time." Her fingers dug deeper into the pillow, remembering that faithful day.

"_**It was my fault."**_

"You were young; I think you were only 5 years old." Her breathing got harder as she wished he'd stop remembering her, things she finally stopped having nightmares from, but somehow he's melancholic voice sounded so much like a lullaby.

"_**I was only a child."**_

"I miss him." These words forced out a way outside without her wanting it. She missed him, nothing would change that fact, but a bitter guilt remained on her heart.

"_**I killed him."**_

The inner words were making their presence stronger and stronger. She should have guessed that her mother would only tell minor details about the accident. No one knew what truly drove her father to drive at such a dangerous time, except her and her mother. Everybody was told that he just had an accident, one that killed him, during a thunderstorm, no more nor less was said. Of course, there were questions as to why he actually drove in that thunderstorm, but the question was to be forever unanswered. Nobody would know and will never know the true reason, it was a promise she made with her mother, that it would never escape their mouths. There was too much suffer and hurt to let it get known by people, Touko never wants to be hurt like that time ever again.

"I can see you loved him." He stated while diverting his eyes back to look at her. Strangely, she had looked up to him at the same moment, staring into his expecting eyes, those eyes, which haven't see one bit what had happened to her while he was talking to her.

She shook her head, "No, I didn't love him. It was much more than love, I _**adored**_ him." She caught herself smiling for the first time in Touya's presence. He looked away from her; something barely called jealously in his eyes.

"Hmpf, can't say I have the same relationship with _**my**_ father." He said with a skeptical tone. Touko let her emotions slowly fade away to concentrate herself on his declaration. She had not noticed that his relationship was that bad; it wasn't though she could say that they were the best of buds, but it couldn't be as bad as his mother. Maybe, before she had to concentrate in a person whom she didn't know the location of, she could simply help with his father-son relationship. If the problem is his "Older-women-harem-syndrome" then, it would be a lot difficult to deal with.

"How is that? Apart from the girls you bring to Richard's own residence, what could possibly be wrong between you too?" She asked, masking her true intentions behind a normal voice tone.

"He took someone important from me away." He said dryly, somewhat pausing in the end for what seemed an eternity for Touko. Yes, her hope to extract him some answers was revived back from the ashes. "Someone you'll meet one time in your life and if you let her go, you'll never find her again. She was the only one who was there for me when my father was overbooked with work. Work seemed to be more important than me, and maybe it even was. Mere excuses for his absences on my birthdays, no hugs nor goodnight kisses, only banknotes beside my pillow when I woke up. I never received any kind of affection from him, but only from her. I think that once he understood that I needed more care as a child, did he spend more time with me. Indeed, he was becoming so much attached to me that he sent that person away. I realized that I needed that person's affection more than my father's, but it was already too late."

Touko didn't blink once through the entire story and she couldn't help but feel as if he was talking not about his mother, but someone else. She shook those thoughts away as fast as they came. No, it had to be his mother, otherwise her plan would be once again, crushed.

"Who was this someone you're talking about?" Even so, she just needed to ask. The most important moment after her win of the Pokemon beauty contest with Zekrom, was about to take place. Her heart was racing as her mind was over and over again, praying for her luck.

"My nanny!" He exclaimed with his devilish smile growing on his face. Touko let her head fall to the ground with the pillow underneath her face and she sighed into it. She had been so close yet so far.

"Your nanny? Great, you devilish smile for an old grandma, congratulations. What's next? First older women, then grandmas and after that are you going to hit on much younger girls than you?" Her words came out muffled from the pillow, but audible enough since he answered her right away.

"Wrong. She was quite young actually, around seventeen or so. And for your information, you're still underage, so you do belong to the younger girls I would hit into, right?" His devilish smile still set on his lips, he laughed at her stunned face, knowing he was right on that point.

Touko gave out an exasperated sigh, not caring that her entire soul would disappear into that sigh. She lied down on her back, setting the pillow underneath her head, while Touya imitated her, hugging his pillow playfully like a little child.

"I'll say this beforehand, there is no way in hell that we'll sleep together, let alone sleep without having at least a decent distance from each other." As serious as it sounded, Touya didn't seem to be impressed by her words, no, his face did say that he was expecting it, but not necessarily accepting it.

"Where do you want me to sleep then? On the stone cold floor?" "Yeah, maybe that's a good idea. Out of this rug and to the floor!" She demanded, ignoring his pouting face, even though a part of her found it actually cute. Her eyes were getting sleepy and she needed sleep that much, not the least secure about her soon to be stepbrother sleeping in the same room.

"You know the thing about the past I was talking about? Well, I was thinking if she was the first person I fell in love with." Touko opened her eyes which had been closed, a little too abruptly. The thing about "Touya being in love" interested her more than it should. She went back into a sitting position, eying him scornfully.

"I came to the conclusion that she was that person who replaced another one, who cowardly ran away. I think that I didn't love her, but that I _**adored**_ her." Touko widened her eyes as he had used the same words as her about her father. The one, who cowardly ran away, was no other than his own mother and when he was a child, he had replaced his mother with his young aged nanny. What more natural than that? It was to be seen.

Suddenly, the feeling of apologizing to him rose up in her heart. Great, if she apologized for being rude now, she would betray her pride and that was everything she didn't want to lose. Instead she thought of another way and all of the happenings of today, flew in her mind one by one. He had, after all, been nice to her. Well, in specific cases, like his unexpected kind words.

Touya was beginning to stand up when Touko stopped him by tugging at his shirt one brief moment, then releasing it just as fast.

"Euhm, I…you-" She searched for the right words to come out, hoping to be forgiven by her own female pride. "-Thank you for all the kind words you said before." Touya arched his brows as if he didn't know what she was talking about.

"What…words?" This time it was Touko's time to frown. "Well, when you said that you felt empty when I'm not near you or when you said that you wouldn't forgive yourself if something would happen to me."

"Huh? I never said that." _"Is this a joke? Because if it is, it's not funny at all! I had bet my pride into this."_ She inhaled deeply, trying to keep her anger locked down as hard as she could. It was just maybe his memory failing him.

"You said it only today! Your memory isn't that weak is it?" There was a little irritation in her voice that was perfectly understandable in this kind of situation. She didn't dare him to play with her this time.

"I don't have to remember something I obviously didn't say. I'm pretty sure the devilish lover, that is to say _**me**_, doesn't say things like that." He felt insulted and Touko's anger was no longer locked in.

"That's it! Even if you come beg to me afterwards, no mercy this time." She shouted before throwing her pillow at him with full force, showing him, she would really have no mercy. The pillow hit him successfully, catching him of guard. He instantly picked up the pillow that hit his face from his lap, preparing for the fight to come.

"Okay, you asked for it! Remember, you started first. Here we go!" He also shouted what now seemed to be a battle cry for the pillow fight. Touko doesn't know to how bad the fight had become as all she saw, was pillows flying everywhere trying to hit a human being but instead hit only furniture protecting these human beings. She couldn't even remember the last time she laughed so much, and not to say, with Touya! But she let it be for tonight, only for this night, let's pretend she didn't hate him.

Touko didn't know how or when she fell asleep; she just did at some point. She was about to open her eyes as she felt something heavy on her shoulder. There was a moment where her mind showed her what this heavy thing could be and how this heavy thing could have landed there. Her memories about last night were a little blurry after the pillow fight. What had happened?

She slowly opened her eyes, and looked at her right side where the heavy weight was residing. The weight was Touya's head which was peacefully resting on top of her shoulder. Now she remembered, she had felt asleep and decided to rest on the couch, but nothing showed her that Touya had sat next to her and had done the same. His head was really heavy and she tried to shift, but unfortunately she was sitting at the far end of the couch, leaving her no space to shift wherever she wanted to go. She stopped thinking of all the possibilities she had to slip away without having to awake the sleeping beauty, when she heard him mumbling a few words in his sleep.

"No…we…can't. Don't make me do…things that we'll regret later." _"Is he dreaming of something naughty?"_ Before she could guess any further, his mumbling continued.

"T-touko, we…can't." Her whole body froze. He was calling her name in his sleep; she wasn't hearing things was she? She really did hear her name that was for sure, but something bothered her more than just her name being spoken in his sleep. "_Why the hell is he having a dirty dream about me?"_ The unintentional blush on her face was getting redder as she felt his head shifting on her shoulders. Before she could think of what to do next, she rapidly closed her eyes to act as if she was asleep.

A few seconds after she had closed her eyes, she felt the weight on her shoulder go away and figured it was Touya who had awoken and was now lifting his head. She desperately tried not to smile or make a move that would suspect him that she was actually wide awake. A silence followed before she felt something nudging her on the arm and she dared to open her eyes. After Touya noticed that she was awake, he climbed of the couch, looking like someone who just lost something.

But before she could even open her mouth, he cut her off, "Good morning sugar bunny! Say didn't you see my earring? I think I dropped it somewhere around here." He asked, sleepily rubbing his eyes, trying to spot the missing item. About this, Touko didn't care the least about his last sentences; she only concentrated herself on the first one. So, today her nickname was "sugar bunny"? It was quite surprising that he called her with names of things he really likes. He liked eating honey and loves the sunshine, and her new nickname was apparently because of his liking for sugary things. She wouldn't be surprised if she one day got called "sweet TV".

Inwardly, she wanted to laugh, but the view of Touya who was still frantically looking for his earring gave her an idea. _"Such an easy target in such a fine morning."_ Her lips formed a mischievously smile as she grabbed the pillow lying behind her back to "accidentally" throw it at Touya who wasn't suspecting a thing. He received it straight on the back of his head, getting him by surprise. The pillow made him lose his balance and trip over another innocently lying pillow, falling his face first to the ground, only the rug to cushion his fall.

He didn't need much time to figure out who it was as Touko was already in the process of leaving the room. "What was that for?" "New name." Her simple answer gave him all the reason why she had wanted to throw him that damn pillow.

She walked up the stairs that looked more towering now seeing it in the daylight. Her X-transceiver had come to mind the second she had woken up. Her parents had surely left a thousand messages on it, overheating it with more thousand calls. When she reached her room, her sight got locked into the X-transceiver lying comfortably on her bed. _"Now he must have had a good night of sleep."_ She pushed the button to switch it on and strangely she had only two messages on it and no missing calls. The first message was from her mother, saying that their flight had been delayed and that they would arrive tomorrow. _"So I have one more night with the devil? Great."_ An unwilling blush settled itself on her cheeks. This weekend with Touya was full of surprises that she hadn't imagined could happen.

Somehow she got a better understanding of him. Sure, she still had her irritating and sarcastic thoughts, and sometimes she would even look as if she hated him, but in reality she felt different. While she wanted to avoid him yesterday, he did everything to stay with her, letting her emotions become different. She wanted to forget these feelings, whatever they were, because she was afraid. Afraid of what exactly? Afraid of a whole new feeling she never felt before, because the person she was feeling this for was to become her stepbrother or maybe because she felt it was wrong when she knew she still hadn't completely forgotten about N? So many questions and they would remain answerless until she would force herself to accept and take on her feelings.

Feeling a headache moving up on her forehead, she hurriedly looked at the second message. "The color of hope."

Seeing that it was an unknown number she figured that it could have been like the other day, someone who just dialed to the wrong number. Even so, why would someone send these strange messages with no meaning on them? She attached her X-transceiver on her forearm and changed her clothes. From her usual trainer clothes, she changed herself in a more casual look with her hair still in a ponytail, a navy black plain shirt with snowflakes imprinted on the back, white shorts and her comfy sneakers.

As she walked down, a familiar aroma filled her nose. Touya was cooking breakfast again and she had to admit that his food tasted awfully delicious apart from his fish cooking which disgusted her the most. She tried to sniff a few times, guessing what he could be making this time. After a few moments of unresolved guesses, she tried to make a move and spy on him, bur failed miserably as he spotted her right at the moment where she had wanted to execute her plan.

"What are you doing? Don't be afraid of me, as surprising as that seems, I'm not gonna bite you-, He rose his devilish smile, resuming his sentence, -unless if you want me to." Touko didn't say anything, instead of flaming her mind in search of a damn to give or bursting out insults, she decided to let him be only her eyes didn't seem to understand her new want of acting different around Touya as they were automatically put on "to glare".

Suddenly the doorbell rang, catching the two by surprise, intervening on their next disagreement. "I'll go, you, go back to the kitchen." She ordered him, almost having the need of slapping her face. Wasn't she going to resolve the dilemma of her feelings by changing her attitude around him? Well somehow she didn't know how to resolve something she wasn't sure of.

Touko headed to the door passing the living room on the way and hearing a last "whatever" from Touya behind her. She put a hand on the door handle, thinking of whom it could be and instantly thinking of Bianca or Cheren. _"If they come by again and tell me that they broke up, I'm seriously going to punch them!"_ With this thought in mind she pulled the door open and what she saw was something she would never have expected. She was really prepared for everything or anyone, except for this person. Her adrenaline was rising in her as she made the first move.

Xxx

He was frowning, thinking of what could possibly keep her so long. She just went to the door to open it for anyone who was able to disturb them. They only had one more night together as explained in his father's message on his X-transceiver. He had to make the most of this day with any means possible and nothing or someone would break their day. He had been planning this since yesterday, as his soon to be relative he wanted to do something to get her to stop to avoid him that much or at least let her think of him as a better guy. He knows too that maybe denying the kind words he had said to her was a little harsh and it surely had made her mad, but he couldn't assume it for the simple reason of not wanting to destroy his "Devilish Lover" reputation.

This was also disturbing him for a while now. It somehow…hurt him to see her distant sometimes or when he unexpectedly heard her crying and sobbing on the other side of her door at night. He had stayed there for a moment, listening to her crying, and he would ask himself if he could just burst in and hold her or stop her from crying that much, not because he couldn't sleep, but because it stung on his chest. He felt confused too. Were these feelings normal towards a sister or was it actually totally different? Do brothers tease their little sisters with the flirtiest remarks or just want to…kiss them?

"_Wait, wait, wait, this is completely wrong. What am I thinking? I even dreamt of doing things with her that I only do at my harem! The devilish lover isn't always hungry for sexy women; he has limits too, well not as much as he wanted to."_ Conclusion of his: he was getting paranoid or it had something to do with feelings, but which ones? He told himself to let it be for the moment and to ask Cheren about it later.

After more than two minutes of waiting he decided to go look for her after having turned off the oven. Suddenly the worst case scenarios, like a kidnapping or some other dangerous thing brushed his mind, they were at the rich neighborhoods after all and even rich people stole among themselves. He quickened his pace, feeling his heart beginning to race in his chest, his mind repeating calming ineffective words.

When he finally reached the door, he froze. This was one bad case scenario he didn't await. Someone was enveloping her in his strong arms, someone who was higher than he could ever be. His hair painted into a strange ridiculous shade of green, now mixed with her beautiful brown one. She was crying, he was sure of it. He knew the sound of it all too well. Even if she was crying, he was sure she was also smiling and the man was smiling too, his hands still didn't move and one was touching her bare neck while the other was at her lower back, lifting her up as he held her.

Somehow, the sting on his chest became familiar, he had felt it before. It was the feeling of losing someone dear to you. He didn't know why he felt that way, she wasn't going anywhere, but it still remained as stubbornly set on his heart.

Green. It is supposed to be the color of Hope. So why had his hope just been crashed?

* * *

><p><em>Yup that's it for now, I see it is getting more serious. More change is to be forseen! See you next chapter!<em>


	9. Chapter 9: Doubtful Hearts part 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon B&W**

Heya guys! It's been a long time but her it is chapter 9. **_About the story_**: N's really messing everything isn't he? Haha, this is just part 1 because the continuation was too much to put it into only one entire chapter, so wait patiently because part 2 is the main part of the story! Thank you for the reviews, you're awesome! Keep them coming.

**Chapter 9 :** Doubtful hearts part 1

"_I hate this guy's guts."_ It had only been seconds since N's arrival at his mansion and Touya already wanted him out as soon as possible. Now, to be exact. He was nonchalantly sitting on his couch, his ridiculous flashy green hair resting downwards on his back. Who the hell colors his hair in that color and that name…what's with the weird letter? N? This could just be a joke; it was most certainly a joke. Somehow, that arrogant appearance that emanated from him, made Touya feel as if he had seen that visage somewhere. Someone he wasn't sure he wanted to remember.

Touya eyed him scornfully, not letting his eyes skip any trace of mischievous intention; after all, this guy was the one who made Touko cry all alone at night. N noticed his dark glances and only gave him a little smile. _"Now, I really want to throw up."_ His leg was impatiently moving as he heard N continuing to ramble about his adventures and exploits in understanding Pokemon better and the more he talked the more his stories began to be harder to believe in. Please, who could possibly defeat Kyurem with just one Pokemon about level 80 something? Everyone knows that's impossible and he, himself knew that better than anyone. He couldn't help but feel annoyed by his future stepsister as well. Did she have to put on that weird smile and giggle at parts that weren't even funny all the time?

They were currently discussing how it would be great to take a stroll around the town and Touya's ears instantly twitched. There was no way that he would let them go on their own like that, he had to be sure to keep an eye on the green haired character.

"I-" He was about to jump in on their discussion when the doorbell began to ring. The couple sitting in front of him looked up with expecting eyes. They were clearly waiting for him to open the door as they apparently appeared to be very "busy". He gave out a frustrated sigh which obviously went unnoticed and headed to the door, a few feet away from the living room. Never leaving his eyes from the room he had so unwillingly left, he opened the door with a rash move, grumbling at the same time.

"What do you want?" Unexpectedly a hand placed itself on his cheek and started to slap it with middle strength three times. He immediately knew who it was and a chill ran through his veins. "Touya-ya, is that a way to treat your old and defenseless grandmother?" Touya slowly shifted his head to the side, his cheek beginning to burn and his eyes connecting with his grandmother's fierce ones. She was really the only person he was most afraid of and attached to. His grandmother could be really sweet at times but when things didn't go the way she wanted them to, she's able to break walls.

"My, my, this old heart of mine won't last for long and here my own grandson breaks it already in two. What if I died tomorrow or here and now?" His grandmother's act of a cry of agony attracted the two remaining people in the other room.

"Granny, stop the act. I'm old enough now to understand that your heart could probably last for another century." Touya said, still massaging the burning area. He will soon regret these words as his grandmother swung her bag at him, hitting his head with what seemed to be a bag full of bricks. He crouched down, holding his two hands on top of his head, moaning at the pain. "Ouch, what is in that bag? Bricks? Stones?"

"Don't call me granny like I'm some old grandma! Call me what you used to call me since always! And besides, my bag is full of silver bars. Don't ask me from where I got it because then I'd have to enslave you dear Touya-ya."

Touya looked up at his grandmother's scolding and broke into laughter. His grandmother was one of the greatest people he ever got to know. In her youthful days, she had been a normal farmer's daughter, but over the years she had gained enough money to enroll into fighting classes. The time came where she had gained enough skill to open her own dojo or whatever it was called, but an unexpected accident occurred, her father became very ill. Since her mother had died very young, her father was the only family left. Her father's final wish was for her to continue the family business and take over the farm in which she had remembered all of her youth. Fate had done so that she wasn't entirely cut out for farming since all she loved and wanted was fighting in legal matches and illegal street fights. The candle of her fighting spirit was even hard to blow out with an extinguisher, so she had decided to sell the farm with much sadness. At least, she thought, she had tried. When a buyer finally appeared, her heart started to rejoice and her blood to boil with anticipation for the next fights to come, but destiny shoved her into another direction. The buyer was no other than his grandfather himself. It had been love at first sight. Her love for fighting had vanished from a second to another, only to replace it with love towards the man who will stand at her side until today.

Her grandmother began to laugh too, but stopped as soon as she had noticed the two new presences. Her eyes instantly directed themselves towards Touko and her face became the face of one of these old grandmas that haven't seen their grandchildren for years and start to get all squeaky and sweetish at them.

"My oh my, look at this beauty here. You must be my soon to be granddaughter right? Look at his rosy cutie cheeks, aren't you a cute one? A bit scrawny on the legs, but oldie grandma here can fix it quickly with just a few cakes, right Touko dear?" Her voice had gone from a rough and husky one to a squeaking softie one. The Amazon warrior woman from earlier had been replaced by an ordinary lonely grandma. It was settled, he didn't knew this person anymore.

"Oh, and look at this young man! Are you perhaps her boyfriend? Haha you sure have one nice hair color and look at this height, until now you seem perfect for my little Touko." His grandmother continued rambling and pinching cheeks on her own, not letting the two of them to even place a word.

Why was she already considering Touko as part of the family when their parents still haven't marry yet? Not talking about how she's deciding on her very own who's the boyfriend from whom.

"No, as far as I know these two are not a couple." Touya talked in with annoyance, clear seen in his voice tone. His eyes directed themselves towards Touko who was glaring at him. Had he been wrong?

His grandmother rapidly turned her head to him, her eyes glowing like eagle eyes. "Did someone ask you anything?" What the hell was he the only enemy here? What about that guy? Wasn't he the real culprit here?

Touya shut himself from them; after all it was dead clear that he wasn't welcome to his own mansion anymore. Even in having decided this, his mind stubbornly continued to listen to their conversation.

"I am sorry to disappoint you madam, but we are sadly not a couple. We are just simple friends." He replied while placing a gentle elegant kiss on Touya's grandmother's hand. His grandmother flushed a light shade of pink before placing her hand against her cheek, turning back to Touya.

"What a gentleman, I wish somebody else would turn to be exactly like you, right Touya-ya?" She gave him a scolding look and Touya glared back. N interrupted their momentary electrical glances with a simple cough, asking for their attention.

"I don't want to be rude, but we were about to take a walk outside. If you would be so kind to excuse us for today?" Touya's eye twitched. With this way of speaking, how could someone say no? Especially if it's his grandmother, then she was sure to let them go with a huge goofy smile on her face. And that's exactly what she did.

"Oh, did I interrupt such a thing? I apologize, well I'll let you go, and you certainly don't want to spend the day with this old grandma you barely know right?" As expected, she waved them off with a huge smile playing on her lips.

"Ah, actually I was about to go with th-" Before he could finish, his grandmother grabbed him by the collar while closing the door with her shoe behind her, dragging him afterwards to the couch.

"Where did you think you were going?" "_Damn! My plan to follow them is ruined."_ Forcefully pushed to the couch, Touya began sulking and mumbling the words "Should've gone with them" under his breath, but it remained still audible to hear. His grandmother headed towards the kitchen, probably planning to make some tea, Touya on her trail.

"Grandma, why are you even here?" She remained quiet, searching the cupboards for the ingredients, ignoring his question completely with an indifferent expression. Furrowing his brows, Touya made a second attempt. "Hey, grandma! Are you listening to me?" Despite his calls, he was left answerless. He knew exactly what he had to do to get her attention but something inside him forbade him to do so.

Putting his pride aside he began to call for her again, but not without being left with a small bit of regret. _"I can't believe I'm saying this."_ "Granma-ma, why are you here?" A huge laughter was his response. "Are you still a baby Touya-ya? Calling me with that name when you were still little…" His grandmother replied with uncontrolled laughter rising up between her words.

"What the heck! You said to call you that when you hit me with your damn bag. Thinking about it, I can't understand what made grandfather fall in love with you." "Wash these awful words out of your mouth Touya-ya! Your grandfather made a great choice in marrying me, try to follow his example for a change. With that many girlfriends roaming about, how would I know if you one day could just settle for one?" She scolded him again while pinching his ear.

"Ow, it hurts." Touya begged after finally being released by the brutal strength of his grandmother, rubbing the itching spot.

Their relationship could have been complicated to understand by any outsider, but everyone in the family knew that the constant bickering between the two of them wasn't out of hatred. The usual fights and arguments were how they showed their love for one another. The habit of using the "-ya" at the end of his name and "-ma" at the end of his grandmother's name, only deepened that said love.

"Now that I'm thinking back, you were the most horrible person on earth!" Confused about his accusation, his grandmother shrugged her shoulders in innocence. "What are you talking about? I only did what a normal nice and kind grandmother would do." She poured the hot tea into the teapot and fetched two cups, putting them all together on a tray.

Touya followed her back to the living room, still not ready to let the argument be won by his grandmother. "When I was only a child, you made me believe you were the ruler of the world, told me cruelly how Santa wasn't real destroying with it a child's dream and you even tricked me to believe that dresses were for boys too." Touya said, panting to catch all the breath that had left his lungs.

His grandmother settled herself on the armchair, filling the two cups with tea. Putting a hand over her mouth she giggled. "Oh I was horrible wasn't I?" Yes, yes she had been horrible, the complete opposite of your average grandma, yet she had been the only person whom he could feel at ease and talk about his problems. It could seem strange to anyone, but that was just how these two worked.

Tired of his grandmother's replies to every accusation he shot her, Touya sensed the delicious cinnamon aroma evaporating from his cup. Taking the cup carefully on his hands, he began blowing the steam off to cool it down. Caught in the careless moment, he nearly didn't hear his grandmother speaking up.

"Anyway, you wanted to know why I'm here right? Well, I wanted to see my son and his fiancée from their "business trip". I'd call it a honeymoon if you ask me. At least, they went to decide the wedding date. Was about time, it's already been six months they are secretly going out under their children's noses." The steam of her cup clouded up her face where a grin had found its way. One could easily mistake her for a member of a motorbike gang, seeing as she always wore her leather jacket, with a logo that resembled a bone face of a peculiar Pokémon, hidden under a thick cloth she wounded around her shoulders. Her face was almost safe of any wrinkles, her hair silver white hanging loosely on her back made her look younger than she exactly was.

"What do you mean six months? How could the old man have hidden that from me?" He remembered being told that his father was seeing someone for three months. Well, what use in concerning oneself in that now that the damage had been done?

Laughter resounded in the room. "Haha, they have been doing that behind everybody's back for several reasons. Mainly because of a secret of some sort, no idea what it could be about. I got a phone call from your father one day, saying that he would leave for a few days to arrange the wedding day and to strengthen the relationship between you and Touko. What, did you assault the poor girl? Naughty little brat." His grandmother was reaching for him again, trying to pinch another area of his face, but he quickly dodged the bullet.

"Like hell, I didn't do any of it! Don't jump to conclusions on your own. She just sort of has a grudge against me for an unknown reason, but it's not like I care about being all family-ish with her. My father and her mother lied to me after all." He annoyingly replied, putting the hot tea on the low table, wondering why his heart didn't agree with his mind.

Exactly. His father had lied to him in telling that his future fiancée had a lively son and he suggested to him to visit them at their house. He had also said that his future "stepbrother" was easily to recognize as he always wore lightly tattered jeans shorts and sometimes he would rest at the White Forest with a huge black Pokemon. Of course, any teenage boy would be excited to hear that he would have a new brother to mess with. At first he doubted about his actual stepbrother's gender, was it really a boy he was about to go see or was his suspicion that his father could have lied only imaginary? A phone call had been enough to confirm his doubts. Contacting his favorite chauffeur who liked to talk about anything and who heard everything back at the mansion, luckily knew about his future stepsister too. Knowing this he just had to gather her attention with the Frisbee and the trick was done.

In the end, he had known that if his father had told him the truth, he was likely to refuse the offer of seeing them, seen as he wouldn't be interested in having a sister. Strangely, when he went to see her, something inside him triggered itself and he somehow got interested by the strange girl. Looking at it now, he was somehow thankful in having met her. She was different than the usual girls he had been around, but strangely he felt that there was something more.

"Don't blame your father or Touko's mother for this, they meant well. After all, two new women were about to invade the mansion, he wanted to make sure everything went smoothly before their arrival in getting you to know them. A new mother for you huh?" Her voice had a teasing tone, the last sentence however, sounded cold and straightforward. The impact of her words resounded in Touya's ear as a familiar bitter taste formed in his mouth. He knew exactly where she wanted to get at.

"Why is she being called in into this conversation?" He had tried to keep his voice down, but when the subject came to this, he couldn't help raising his voice to a yell. His grandmother, rather aware that it would have come to this, smirked.

"You still have that mother complex? If I was you, I would run to her and give her a piece of my mind, but oh well, she's your mother, not mine." She sipped at her tea, an uncaring expression on her features.

Touya abruptly rose up from the couch. "What's it to you? Didn't you hate her too?" There was no denying that his voice surely had raised itself to a loud growl.

"Me having hated her is not the issue here." She retorted right back at him, her lips a thin line, replacing the grin that had been placed earlier on. Touya sat back, knowing that arguing on this matter any further would lead to nothing.

His grandmother sighed, "Touya, if there is ever something bothering you, you know that you could always come to me right? It may surprise you, but I do worry about you sometimes." The way she had pronounced his name with sincerity and her serious glance made his mind relax back.

"Yeah, I know, but there are things I just can't talk to you about." His mother was one thing among them. Still there was another matter concerning his future stepsister that was in on it too. He took hold of his teacup, which had grown cold during their conversation, but directly put it back down with a sour expression the moment the cold fluid had hit his lips, the subject of their previous conversation long forgotten.

"Hmm, something's been bothering me. That boy with that flashy green hair…his eyes strangely remind me of you mother." Touya uncomfortably shifted on the couch, just when he had thought that the subject had been aborted, here it was again.

Receiving no response from his grandson, she waved her hand as if to say for him to forget what she had said. "Meh maybe it's just me. I guess, I'm getting old." She let out a humorless laugh.

Touya bit his lip, thinking. _"No it wasn't just you. I noticed it too."_

-x-x-x-

She knew that her constant stubbornness would be the end of her one day, but she couldn't help feeling that she had left something behind. The boy sitting across from her smiled, catching a strand of her hair between two fingers. Touko shortly startled by his actions, then smiled back to him.

This was a moment she had dreamt of since god knows when and still she didn't feel satisfied. Why was that? Did the magic wear off as soon as he had held her in his arms? It had been an awfully good surprise to have him in front of her after so many years. Her heartbeat had increased in speed, her mind had gone blank and her eyes had only one pair of eyes in sight. Still something was off. Right, it was her heart that called a name which her mind tried so hard in quieting down.

During his absence, she had cried and suffered in silence, reminiscing their time together, trying to accept that he had never showed any kind of interest in being romantically involved with her. Then what was she doing here with him? She was simply confused. While he was holding her and telling her what he had experienced in his journey, she couldn't help smiling and giggling at his gestures but at times she had slightly taken a glance at Touya who obviously glared at N, showing no doubt about him not liking the visitor.

Her eyes diverted themselves to the window of the café, looking at peaceful surroundings of a nearby garden. It was like two persona of herself were fighting in her heart. One telling her that this was how it should be and the other oddly repeating that this was wrong. Basically, she had a dilemma.

"Touko? I feel that you are distant, yet you are so near. Is it only me?" His gentle voice broke her free from her thoughts. Shaking her head she quietly answered. "I'm sorry. I have some complicated stuff on my mind that's all. Don't worry about it." She reassured him with a smile.

N simply stared at her with a peaceful expression, not stopping to stroke the strand of hair. An awkward silence flowed down between them and it was N who broke the silence.

"Touko, you are more beautiful than the last time I saw you." She blushed; never had he complimented her on anything. His voice as well as his personality had incredibly changed. It was only normal; after all, she had changed too.

"I know this may seem straightforward, but I want you to know how I missed you all this time I've been away. Every dream, every desire I had, had been about you. I thought how maybe I regretted in having left you behind like that, but it would have been a lot more difficult if I had told you how I felt about you. I want you to understand that I did it for a reason which I want to forget now that I returned. Touko…" She had listened to him intently, her chest tightening at each word he blew on her face. She had a slight idea what would follow next.

"Touko would you like to be my girlfriend?" He asked with an incredibly husky voice. It was like the time had frozen itself on the clock. These were the words she had longed to hear for so long. However, she would give a different answer than she would have given at that time.

Her heart was still on the battlefield, her personas not willing to surrender to each other.

She took a deep breath before answering, "I-."

-x-x-x-

Touko was back to the mansion. Opening the heavy door, she hoped to smell her mother's cooking and seeing her stepfather sitting on the usual armchair, eventually reading his newspaper. As soon as she had stepped into the entrance's hallway, she was greeted by the devil of the mansion.

"Welcome back Sweetie Rose." Normally she would have rejected him in a hostile manner, but strangely it didn't bother her anymore. Touya gave her a quizzical look.

"Are you going to stand there forever or are you coming in?" Touya asked her, his head peeking out of the couch he was sitting on. Finally Touko snapped out of it and noticed that the mansion was too quiet when it inhabited four people, five if Touya's grandmother hadn't been gone yet. It was already night time and she was feeling the drowsiness rising in her. Her energy had entirely been sucked up with her meeting with N.

"Say, where are Mom and Richard? I thought they were supposed to be here…" Touya flashed her, her first devilish grin of the day.

"Ah you know I drove with my grandmother to the airport this afternoon and guess what? She said to both of our parents that it had been a long time since they didn't see the farm, so they went off to stay there overnight. They'll be back tomorrow in the early afternoon though." He nonchalantly announced the news with a simple shrug of the shoulders, but there was no denying that the news weren't bothersome for him.

"I should have known it. Don't you find it's strange that they always find something to leave us alone together?" Something that she had always wondered about was how her mother from

the start had so awfully tried to convince her to get closer to Touya. Not talking about the fact that they'd left the two of them, an innocent, stubborn girl with a thirsty for women guy, alone in a huge mansion no less. Touya only sighed, shaking his head. "No idea."

Afraid of piling another question up her already stack of papers with answerless questions, Touko decided to settle it down for tonight and go to bed. "I'm going to bed." Before she could even manage to make two steps to the stairs, she heard Touya's voice, calling her back.

"Hey, wanna sleep together tonight?" He rose up his devilish smile again, showering these words at her with an incredible natural confidence as if he'd expected she would really accept. Just when she thought that things were going better, here he comes and throws at her inappropriate proposals.

A vein had just become apparent on her forehead, her eye uncontrollably twitching. Keeping her calm, she answered him with another question. "Who do you think I am? Don't mistake me for one of your date-and-leave list girl!" "Your loss." Something about the way he easily gave up made things even more suspicious. Normally he would have continued while finding more "advantages" to his offers so she would give in and accept. Suddenly the urge to go see her room intensified and she began, not walking but literally running to her room.

Arrived in front of the white door she quickly opened the door, fearing for the worst. What she saw was something she could have never figured out on her own. With a big breath she drained all of her oxygen from her lungs into her shout. "TOUYAAAA!"

Rushing back downstairs, the devil had been waiting for her, standing and leaning against the back of the couch, a huge smirk on his face. Touko panted to catch that precious breath she just had wasted. "What *pant* is that *pant* liquid on my mattress?" Her threatening tone didn't surprise him the least, in fact, his grin was still set on his lips.

"Oh, I don't know…maybe a very sticky and hard to remove tangerine marmalade? I wouldn't know…" He put on an innocent face on. _"As if I'd believe anything this mattress killer has to say!"_

"Don't try to play dumb! I know it was you!" She exclaimed, pointing a finger in his direction. Another shrug of the shoulders with no clue of regret. "Guilty as charged."

"If you think one second that I'll sleep with you then you're dead wrong. I have our parents' room; I bet you didn't think of that huh?" She grinned in victory, but from Touya's point of view, she was calling in victory too soon.

"I'll give you some advice. First, our parent's room was locked by our parents themselves because that room contains a treasure vault, secretly hidden where no one could find it. Secondly, the second option would be the couch, but it isn't as comfortable as it seems. It may look cosy when you're sitting on it, but sleeping on it, is a different story. Thirdly, the servants' bed in the second part of the mansion. I doubt you really want to wander there unless you want to get lost. Lastly my room, my cosy, cosy bed will be waiting for you. The proposal doesn't expire until morning so make your choice." He casually winked at her.

It was fully clear that with his repetition on how cosy his bed would be, he was waiting for her to fall into the hunter's trap. This time, the little bunny would save her white fur in sleeping on the couch. Surely it couldn't be that bad. C'mon it's a couch which is worth a thousand for crying out loud! Touya could only be exaggerating about it, yes, she may be stubborn but that's just how the bunny leaps.

"I'll take the couch." She said with a little too much pride stuck on her tongue. Touya didn't try to protest or convince her further as he simply walked to the stairs with an indifferent face clouding his features.

He stopped with his shoe set on the first step of the stairs. "I figured as much, that's why I've already gone fetch a blanket and a pillow. You'll find them on top of the armchair. When you're done with the couch, you know where to find me right?" She was right. He had been planning victory since she had arrived, no, way before that, he had planned it the second he'd done what he did to her poor mattress.

"_Well, no use thinking about that now. On with the couch!"_ She tried to cheer up but the idea that the couch could be uncomfortable as the evil mattress killer had said didn't leave her mind. Preparing her "bed", she quickly went to fetch a bunch of other blankets from the storage room and her pajama which consisted of a simple white T-shirt that was too large for her and some blue mini shorts. With everything prepared, she was finally ready to board the ship to dreamland.

"…" In the dark and silence room only one sound was to hear. "…" The sound of blankets being turned and tossed, over and over and over again. "…!"

"_Damn it! He was right. This thing is too hard to sleep on! It seems as if the couch is made of gold bars. Incredible that when you seat on it, you feel nothing…"_ She sighed and was now thinking if it was a good idea to start sleeping on the floor to get at least some sleep. Her eyes searched the dark for a digital cloak blinking in green letters. Under the TV was a DVD player with the time blinking in and out. Great, she had wasted an hour of her precious sleep, preparations included.

Sitting on the damned couch, she debated on where she would be going from here and the most logical and unthinkable possible action she could take was taking on Touya's offer. Of course she would have to pay attention as not letting his hands traveling themselves on her body. He wouldn't dare would he? After all, they were going to be siblings, sooner than expected. Realizing this, a heavy weigh lingered up on her chest. Her mother had sent her a message early this morning with the date of the marriage. Within less than a year, it was official. Touya and she would become siblings. Knowing this, she felt sad without apparent reason.

Controlling her breath as well as her heartbeat, no weakness should be shown to the enemy; she was ready to pass though the door that was unsurprising wide open for anyone to intrude. As soon as she had stepped through the doorway, she saw the darkened room lit by a single table lamp on Touya's nightstand, a voice echoing for her to run away before she became the hunter's prey. But it was already too late to back down now, seen as her pride had been already damaged.

"Oh you came!" His voice left no degree of surprise, he had been waiting for it seen as he even had a book to read on his hands, therefore he continued. "Come and close the door behind you." He patted an area beside him on the bed. The blanket had been thrown back to let her see the sheet covering the mattress underneath it. She closed the door with a gentle thud and sighed. She had been caught in the hunter's trap, but instead of being eaten afterwards, she didn't know what fate awaited her in **this** situation. Carefully she made her way to the other side of the bed, climbing and immediately pushing up the sheets until it was level with her chin. She made sure to stick to the edge of the bed, afraid of venturing further near his-wait-shirtless body?

She felt the heat coming to her face and the voice in the back of her mind which asked if he was also pantless under there. Bad idea. This made her face grow even redder, refusing to make eye contact, turning his back to him.

"Hey what's wrong? I'm not gonna touch you if that's what you're worried about." Suddenly she relaxed, his voice had sounded so peaceful almost gentle, but as she turned to him, she couldn't help but notice how his face showed the words "I've won" under her nose.

"W-would you at least put a T-shirt on!" She tried to sound angry but her stuttering betrayed her order. However, surprisingly enough, that had been enough for him to reach his arm to the floor, felling the ground for any good catch. Decidedly, he was too lazy to get up and fetch a shirt from his closet, if he even had one that is. He got a good grip on something that resembled a neutral sky-blue T-shirt and put it on. Now she could relax a little more, but having the devil right next to you, was something that could get you goose bumps.

"I'm going to turn the light off ok?" She nodded and the light was out. The only light remaining was the one shining from the window. Wait, did her eyes see well? Was that window…open? Now, she understood why she was actually growing cold. The window was mid-open, but let enough wind come in to freeze her to the bones. She looked over to Touya who had his eyes wide open, not a single shake or any other signs that he felt cold was to be seen.

"Touya, how come you can sleep with this freezing coldness? And you were even going to sleep without a shirt! Are you crazy?" Touya laughed getting a little closer to the middle of the king-sized bed, but still an arm's reach from her.

"What you're cold? I'm not going to close the window for you and I won't let you do it either. It's freaking hot in here! I already made you the pleasure in putting a shirt on, so do me a favor and let that window open." He didn't sound angered or mad at all, but only slightly annoyed due to the "hot" climate he was feeling, although she felt none of it in this room.

What could she do? She had no energy to argue on the matter and getting up to go get a blanket? No thanks, she was already in a comfortable position besides the cold, getting up would just ruin it. Her body didn't seem to agree with the weather on the room and began shaking. It had been so noticeable that Touya looked at her with an undecipherable expression.

"That's some serious shaking you've got there!" If this was a joke, it wasn't funny at all. After a short laugh, he resumed. "Okay, come closer." He beckoned with an outstretched arm for her to do as he said.

She shifted a tiny little bit, and it looked as if she hadn't moved at all. This hadn't pleased Touya at all as he continued beckoning her with a more commanding tone. "It has to be closer than that."

A little more shifting.

"Closer."

Just a little more.

"…Closer."

More little shifting.

He had reached his limit and his voice sounded threatening as well as commanding. "Do I have to drag you here by myself or would you as kindly move your ass here!" Okay she had never heard him talk like that before, but she couldn't blame him, she had asked for it after all. The truth is that she was afraid in going near him. From all this stories Bianca had been telling her about the adult adventures Touya had done with his harem, she had even asked herself if these were true and naturally one had to be careful. She shouldn't have listened to Bianca, she knew that, but she just didn't feel in keeping her ears shut.

She wandered further on the bed until she reached him, her pillow following behind with a pull from her hand. She stopped at a reasonable distance and felt his hot breath being puffed on her forehead. "See isn't it warmer?" He asked his voice merely above a whisper. Yes, she was warmer, but for a complete different reason. She was so close, that even a tiny little flaw couldn't remain unnoticeable, but she didn't saw anything where her gaze set eyes upon. His neck, his arms, she even dared to take a look at his face to notice that nothing was wrong. He looked perfect. With that figure he could easily be mistaken for an actor, then how was it that she just noticed this now?

He wasn't touching her in any way; the only thing he gave her was silence. She was feeling to grow cold again, and wondered why he hadn't attempted to touch her yet. As she slowly asked herself if he could have fallen asleep, an arm suddenly wrapped around her body to rest on her back, pulling her closer to him. Her face involuntarily buried into his shirt, the masculine scent filling her nose, sending delicious vibes through her body. Basically, she had wanted for him to wrap her closer to him, sending these exciting chills down her spine, make her heartbeat increase to an unimaginable speed. She had wanted all that and she didn't care that it was with him anymore. The battlefield in her heart hadn't stopped as one approved and the other not, but she didn't care.

He was warm, really warm, to the point that she had nearly put her hand on his forehead to check if he was cold again, but looking at his sleeping face, she abandoned that want and closed her eyes. His heartbeat slowly bumping against his chest was her lullaby and his arms were her castle.

"I have to think about it." That was her response to N's confession; he had only smiled and said that he would wait forever for her. Was that the right thing to say? With that, her mind went black, ready to enter her dreams.

"_I'm suffocating." I reached for my throat but saw that no one was trying to choke me, so why was I short of breath? Why was my throat so dry? I slowly opened my eyes and all I saw was blue water everywhere. My body was slowly going down, leaving little bubbles behind. Was I drowning? Was I going to die? _

Touko's eyes flew wide open and she gasped for air, waking up from a nightmare. Her gaze was set to the roof, but as her eyes diverted to her right, she understood that she had left a nightmare but entered right into another, real life.

She had probably been drowning in her sleep because half of Touya's body had been lying on her this whole time. One thing was sure, even though it was only half a body, he was still really heavy. _"Ah-he's heavy as hell! All these muscles are gonna kill me if I don't move them soon."_

She had two options. First, push him off the bed, no matter what it took. Second, waking him up. She knew it would be difficult but she chose the second one, either way, she wasn't sure if she even had the strength to push him off. Softly nudging his arm, Touko called his name over and over again without success. When trying to remove the arm that was mainly blocking her from breathing on her throat, she had shifted him a little and shivered when warm soft lips went brushing against her bare neck.

She was about to yell at him; but hearing the faint snores and sleeping face, made her think otherwise. "Touya! Wake up. TOUYA!" This time she shouted pushing his arm along with the rest of his body to the side. "Mmmm, what? Is it morning already? C'mon let us sleep a little more…" He sounded sleepy as he tempted to wrap her again. Sensing the danger coming, Touko tried to leap out of the bed, but unfortunately got pulled back by Touya, landing on him with full force.

The soft impact had made her close her eyes and when she opened them again, she realized what had happened. She was on top of Touya, her bare legs brushing against his, noticing that he did have a pair a shorts on him. Their eyes had locked themselves for a moment, an unusual surprised expression clothing his features. Was he not used to this sort of position? The look quickly faded to get replaced by his famous devilish smile. "So this is what you wanted to do?" Touko glared at him, hiding at best her embarrassment. "Are you mistaking me for one of your girlfriends?" She should have chosen her words better as they didn't make any impact on him.

"Oh c'mon I haven't been at my harem for at least…well since a long time. I think I'm starting to be in need." He teasingly tried to let her in on his "dilemma". _"In need? What need? Did he mean..?"_ She was about to snap at him when her X-transceiver she had put on Touya's nightstand, ringed in sign of an incoming mail. She jumped on it, letting her body fall hard against Touya's, hitting involuntarily her elbow against his jaw. "Ow." He held a hand to his jaw, his head stretched back until his gaze settled on the roof.

"It's N! He's coming over for tea, I have to dress up!" Touko jumped of the bed, not able to control her excitement any longer. 'Tch." She heard Touya grumble some incomprehensible words, but she was sure they were meant for N. His face was contorted into a bitter expression and she didn't know if it was because he got hurt or because of N's visit. Before she left the room she turned back one last time to shout over her shoulder. "Ah and get up already. Our parents are arriving today so I suggest you dress up too!" With a single "Whatever" as response she went to her room.

-x-x-x-

"_So that bastard is coming today too huh?" _How couldn't he have recognized him sooner_?_ He was the man that had haunted his nightmares many times. The nightmare from today explained everything. It was perfect how he could finally settle a score with him. _"N…my eternal rival."_

* * *

><p><em>See you next chapter: Doubtful hearts part 2<em>


	10. Chapter 9: Doubtful Hearts part 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon B&W**

Puhh, finally I was able to update this chapter before new year's, isn't that great? **About the story:** I apologize beforehand to every N fan that isn't going to like something about his attitude in this chapter, you will know after reading the chapter...Anyways, read, enjoy and review if you liked it! I'll see you next year.

**!Important!**

_Before reading the chapter I'd like to tell you about the age of the main characters in this story as it will help you understand it better._

_Touya: 18 years old (Now) 10 years old (Past)_

_N: 23 years old (Now) 15 years old (Past) (Yeah I know he's kinda old but he had always looked older than the rest in the game)_

_Touko: 17 years old, the past is not important for now_

**Chapter 9 :** Doubtful hearts part 2

Water droplets fell from her face from the cold water she had just splashed on her face. The events of last night were playing in her head on repeat, asking herself how she had even accepted to sleep in the same bed as her soon to be brother. It was wrong, completely wrong in her mind for having imagined it for a second and even worse for having done it but she couldn't help but remember how it had also felt right in his arms.

Shaking her head for the tenth time today, she pulled up her hair in the usual ponytail, the corners of her mouth curling up for a dreamful grin. N had sent her a message saying that he would be visiting her again mainly because he caught wind of the adult's return. It had been revealed that N had been the one to send her the anonymous messages. It was one of his ways in trying to surprise her but when she said that she had thought of it as spam mail, his expression looked hurtful for a moment. There was yet another matter that was bothering her. What relationship did Touya and N have? Did they even know each other before his reappearance at her front door or was it only her imagination that was leading her to believe that Touya's glares meant something deeper at all?

Not a few moments after her momentary lost in thought, she heard the doorbell ring. With hasty steps, she walked downstairs to greet back her visitors. Her mother was the first to jump at her neck and hug her like she hadn't seen her daughter for ages. Richard passed after her mother giving her another painful overwhelming hug, inviting whoever stood behind him to come in. As she was soon informed, her parents had already fraternized with N in front of the entrance. It had been pure coincidence of them, meeting together at the same moment. A sigh escaped her mouth, an uneasy pain hitting her stomach. Was this unexpected "presentation of a friend to your tutors" a good idea? Well, N had been the one who did want to come meet her parents and the fact of her not being able to give him a proper response to his confession made this situation all the more awkward.

They were now sitting in the dining room. It was rare that the family used that room; indeed, they would only use it if there were a lot of visitors or if the visitor in question was special. Even though Touko had introduced N as only an ordinary friend, the adult's in the room had clearly skipped through that part as they were asking him lots of questions regarding marriage and what couples should or shouldn't do. Touko's face was a kaleidoscope of colours turning from a pale white to a reddish tomato and so on. Touya had appeared a few minutes later when the conversation was still in full action. She would sometimes glance at him form the corner of her eye, catching his bored eyes and a few yawns placed here and there. Sometimes, his eyes locked with hers and when they did, she made sure to look away just in time to not let any doubts of her staring hovering in his mind. Strangely he didn't say anything, looking down at nothing in particular on the table, letting Touko believe that whether he really didn't like N for a reason or if it was the fact of him not being able to take part on the conversation.

Because of the untouched, now cold, tea in everyone's tea cups and Touya's passive participation, they decided to take a break; their hands ready to reach for the tea when Touko's mother's face fell. "Oh, I think that we were so into our conversation that we forgot about the tea, it's completely frozen." She put on an apologetic smile to her guest who returned it to her with an equal smile of his own. "I'll go brew some more." As she was about to get up, N stopped her, his sweet and gentle voice making its appearance again. "Then I would gladly help you with it."

Suddenly Touko heard the sound of somebody else's chair getting pushed and looked at the person opposite of her who was now standing. "Marian, give me the tray. I'll do it." Touko blinked a few times. Had Touya just offered himself to make tea? This was something she thought she would never hear in her life but then again his slight furrowed brows might be telling her that there was something else behind it.

Touko's mother seemed shocked at first, then she handed him the tray an unsure smile set on her lips. Her mother's reaction was nothing compared how Richard looked. His mouth was left wide open and his eyes were widening to no end. Touya would never offer to help with any chore whatsoever, so of course, it left everyone quite perplexed.

For the first time today Touya looked back at N, his eyes never quitting his target. "Are you still up for it?" It was clear that he was asking whether N wanted to stick to his offer in helping with the tea with him, now that he took over her mother's task or if he wanted to back out. N smiled at his question, gesturing with a sign of his hand for him to lead the way. The two of them disappeared together, the door to the kitchen slowly closing after them, no chance in getting to see them through the glass like in the living room as the door connected to the dining room was made out of plain wood. Her mother and Richard were talking about the surprising event that just occurred with Touya as Touko asked herself if it she should have followed them to the kitchen. After having thought it through she decided that it was smarter to remain there. Whatever could or was going to happen behind that wooden door was something she shouldn't be concerned about.

-x-x-x-x-

There they were, alone in his kitchen after all these years. How much had it been since they last saw each other? He couldn't remember and he didn't want to remember. All he wanted was to throw him out of his life and out of his house.

Touya walked over to one of many counters letting the tray drop onto one of them with a loud noise. "Green huh? Was pink already outdated?" He let his words reach N with a mocking tone and a matching face.

N closed briefly his eyes, "I'm happy that you remembered me. Of course, those glares you send me the other day were proof of that." With a nonchalant shrug of the shoulders, N looked back at him with the same intensity Touya was glaring, asking him to continue whatever reproach he might have.

"N, right? What's the deal with the weird letter? You had a real name back then." The basic conversation could be called a normal rambling between former classmates that hadn't seen each other since a long time but their faces quickly erased that possibility. Each of the two men's face had, certainly, different expressions but the air around them felt tense.

"I just don't like to stroll around with a name which was given to me by someone I hate." Touya's eyes slightly widened at N's statement but soon reverted back to normal accompanied by a smirk. "Oh really? What was that name again?" A sudden look of distaste went through N's face, his eyes threatening him to stop saying anything further. Touya was delighted by the look on his rival's face but refrained to say anything further because there was something more important he had to know.

With serious eyes he looked at N and said, "What are you scheming?" A mischievous smile made its way upon N's lips followed by a reflective silence. Touya never left his sight on N when finally N started to answer, "Is there somewhere more suitable where we could talk without having someone in question in the other room hearing our conversation?" Touya closed his eyes in thought. It was true that anyone could barge in into their conversation and the last thing he wanted was for Touko to see him fighting with N because there was a chance of it bound to happen.

They were now in the back of the Summer's mansion, in the courtyard filled with wild roses like Touya had suggested that it was the safest place where they could talk it out. "So, spit it out. What is it that you want?" Touya glared at him with impatient eyes but N kept his composure all along and shrugging his shoulders he said, "What I want? I already have everything someone could want but there is still something I seek."

After a long silence N's voice resonated through the gardens, "Revenge." This revelation made Touya's heart thump louder. Revenge? He couldn't understand the reason why his rival would still seek revenge when everything was cleared when they were young. At least, he had thought that it had been cleared. Therefore he proceeded to share his thoughts, "Are you still not satisfied with what you did 8 years ago?" Suddenly all the events of that fateful day started to flow back in his mind.

The images of a young 10 year old Touya, a huge grin on his face from the last battle he had won when he suddenly crossed paths with an older boy in his teens. They had agreed to battle without Touya knowing that this would be his last time. In the end he had lost and with it he gave up all want to continue being a Pokemon Trainer.

As the flashback in his mind ended, N wore now a serious expression, nothing of the gentle smile he had been wearing all this time was left. "Tell me Touya, what was that last Pokemon you didn't want to show me? I crushed every single one of your little friends when there was still one left. Come on now, which Pokemon was it that you didn't want me to crush? You gave up because you didn't want to use it and that makes me curious." Touya's face twitched at his dark voice tone. Yes, that last Pokemon he didn't want to sacrifice was the one that had used up most of the space in his heart, as even now he didn't regret one bit not using him.

Turning his fists into balls, Touya retorted back. "You humiliated me, crushed all of my hopes and dreams, entered my fiercest nightmares, made me give up all want in being a Trainer and still you aren't satisfied?" As soon as he had spoken out those words, N's sharp voice spoke out. "No, I'm still not satisfied! Not until I see you crumble beneath my feet, looking so desperate that the only issue to escape your depression is to beg me for forgiveness!" N's exclamation made Touya only angrier as his nails dug further into his fists.

Their glares were so intense that they send sparks in all directions, and then with a sigh, Touya released his fists. "Can't we resolve this matter already? There's nothing you can gain out of my begging for forgiveness." N's mouth formed a grotesque smile. "I guess I have to explain to you the reason for my hatred towards you from the very beginning. Will you listen, dear rival?" His question was more of a claim for a challenge than an actual question.

Without waiting for Touya's answer N began to narrate, "A long time ago, my father met a woman when he was still at university. He fell in love at first sight and they promised to marry when they graduated from university. Their married life was like a blissful voyage towards a happy future but it would soon break apart. Then came the time where my father wanted to have a child, later his wish would be fulfilled and here again this would lead to his misery. After the baby was born, he had stayed as madly in love as he had been the first day he had met his wife but we couldn't say the same for her. The birth of the child felt like an obligation for her, thus, after it was born she started to care less and less about her own child. This one grew up without affection from his mother and would soon know why. When he reached the age of 5 his mother suddenly disappeared leaving a single letter behind in which she said that she was pregnant. You must ask yourself why running away when being pregnant and still married, well because she had fallen in love with another man, also rich and famous as my father. The baby was of course, from the man she had fallen in love with. When I think about it now, I feel sorrier for my father that didn't notice or didn't want to notice his wife's treason than for the child she had not given any affection to. 10 years later that child grown into a teenage boy met with the very own child of his cowardly mother. This is where his revenge began. That smile, that face, those eyes reminded him of the person he had detested during his own childhood, his own mother!"

The story finally reaching its end, Touya began to reflect upon everything that had been said when a sudden pain crossed his heart. _"Is he..?"_ His breathing accelerated as he asked his next question with a slightly trembling voice. "I heard that you were a single child so the one you're talking about is you right?" N nodded with a malicious grin plastered on his face. Touya continued still with a shaking voice. "Then… that other child is…" He was unable to say anything more, as N spoke up in a soft over sarcastic voice.

"Haha, nice to meet you, dear brother." His heart stopped beating, as his eyes opened up as wide as they could. _"N is my… brother?"_ Suddenly the words of his grandmother came back to mind. _"Hmm, something's been bothering me. That boy with that flashy green hair…his eyes strangely reminds me of your mother."_ Shakily, he looked up into his so called brother's eyes and the image of his mother directly crossed his mind. It was true. There was no reason why N should lie to him as he had always told the truth as hard as it may have been.

Touya fell to his knees. "No…it can't be…" He whispered as he grabbed the bit of his shirt above his heart. "Yes that is the face I wanted to see! The more you hurt the more my heart feels content." N said matter-of-factly, spitting out hateful words after words. "Why?" "Why?" He gave out a humorless laughter. "Because my so called mother left me in my misery without having given me neither love nor happiness. I am just relieved seeing as she left you as well and I can even bet that she hasn't given you any affection whatsoever and just left pregnant of yet another man again." "Shut up!" It was meant to come out as a shout but it only came as a whisper.

"Don't talk about something you don't know anything about!" Touya continued still griping at his shirt. "Oh please, you yourself have to agree with me as I heard you weren't fond of her either." "Shut up, shut up, shut up!" He repeated his words ardently, hoping for nothing more than to end this conversation.

"Humph, you poor little thing. To know that the long lost rival was your brother isn't this wonderful?" N's eyes threw daggers at him, the longer he looked down at him, the deeper the pain he felt. "Well as much as I'd like to stay and look further into your pain, I think that I'll be heading back now. The tea that was supposed to be made is still resting in the cupboard."

N started to walk away when Touya called out, his voice slowly returning to normal. "Wait!" N stopped in his tracks, turning his head back at him. "What do you want with her?" Touya gestured with his head to the mansion, earning another of N's grins but this grin gave out a different vibe.

"By that girl you mean Touko right? Don't put her on the same level as you; unlike you I have nothing against her. She is one of a kind, intelligent, kind and beautiful." As he finished speaking Touya slowly stood up, his wobbly knees shaking from the sudden movement. "Don't even dare to lay even a single one of your dirty hands on her." He spoke through his greeting teeth. He couldn't stand it if N had something planned for Touko as well, but as it seemed, N wasn't intending to scheme against her. Even so, he felt the need to protect at least someone for once in his lifetime and at that moment he could only think of her.

Laughter erupted the silence that had settled, "My hands are dirty? From what I heard in town about your reputation as Devilish Lover, I think you should reconsider your choice of words. After all, don't you think your hands are dirtier than mine? I don't know if it's the fact of you soon becoming her stepbrother that incites you to act as a big brother should in trying to protect his sister and it really doesn't matter because I'm not the one who is going to take her away from you. She will leave you just like all of your fake friends, your Pokemon and your **mother** did. I'll only have to welcome her with open arms when she comes to me. Believe me, she **will** come."

N's entire speech gave him shivers and he straightened his back, his lips itching to bark back words he never thought of saying but they stayed sealed. N shot him a last glare before walking back into the mansion.

Touya felt completely broken, kicked down to the ground. His eyes were burning, the corners of his eyes threatening to shed tears at any second. Never had he felt so humiliated and in his own domain no less. Giving out a huge hurtful sigh, his eyes fell upon the garage and a sudden idea popped into mind.

-x-x-x-x-

"Oh really, men always procrastinate in whatever they do! Don't you think so too Touko?" Touko's mother gave out a silent sigh as she prepared the so awaited tea. Touko was standing next to her, her arms folded and her brows furrowed with the same question repeating itself in her head. _"What is the relationship between N and Touya? More importantly where the hell did they go?"_

Her mother, feeling her daughter grow unusually quiet, looked at her with quizzical eyes. "Touko, are you listening?" Touko unconsciously nodded when the door opened with a surprised N at the doorway. His expression slowly turned to a soft one as he walked to the two women.

"I'm terribly sorry that I wasn't able to prepare the tea as I had said I would but I couldn't pass on the occasion to have a wonderful chat with Touya." As always, N spoke like a perfect gentleman but Touko felt that there was a strange way he had pronounced the devil's name.

Touko's mother turned to him, beaming with sparkles in her eyes. "Oh no, don't worry about it. I understand that two young men would rather have a talk among themselves than be surrounded by adults right? Although I know you would prefer some time alone with Touko? She winked and Touko rapidly stood before her with reddened cheeks stuttering whatever came to mind to stop the embarrassment any further. "Euhm, N where did Touya go?" Only second after the words came out did she realize what she had just asked.

N looked slightly puzzled but answered straight away. "He stayed back in the courtyard when I decided to come back. Now, if you'll excuse me I have some matters to resolve. I'll see you again?" He took Touko's hand in his awaiting her answer. "Y-yeah, I'll see you around." After hearing this, he brought her hand towards his lips to plant a soft kiss on the back. Saying their goodbyes, he walked out the mansion by the heavy entrance door.

Touko heard her mother sighing dreamily before returning her attention to the hot steaming water on the stove. "If I was only a few years younger…Tell me Touko how can you even hesitate with such a handsome young boy?" Touko frowned, clearing her throat for her next words. "How many times do I have to tell you that I don't see him in **that** way? I like him but I guess it's not enough to go out with him. Anyways, don't you already have a fiancé?" Her mother turned away with a pouting face mumbling some inaudible words such as "Girls are still dreamers even in becoming adults."

Suddenly a motorbike's sound resounded and Touko swiftly walked towards the front door. Upon opening the door, she saw someone on a motorbike riding away down the street but couldn't make out who when a male voice spoke up behind her.

"Ah, it's been a long time since he last used his motorbike." Touko startled and turned abruptly around to look at the owners' voice. "Oh dear, did I startle you?" Touya's father apologized taking on a worried face. Touko shook her head, reassuring him with a smile. "It's alright but what were you saying about the motorbike? Was that Touya on it?"

Richard gave out a gentle laugh. "Oh, is that hard to believe that Touya could ride a motorbike? Let me tell you about it. When he was younger, he had to work to earn his money as I said I would only give him the fortune I had promised him when he reached 18. At the time he never worked more than one week in one place but there was this one time where he worked until he reached his mature age. When he had finally obtained enough money, he bought the motorbike and although he had already resigned from work at that place he continued going there. I had bought him a new car but he would always use that motorbike when going over there. He never answered me when I asked about where he'd go and I still don't know. What I do know is that he hadn't used it for a long time."

After giving a silent sigh, Richard continued. "I hope it isn't another one of his love nests. Just when I thought he had finally stopped going there…" He let his words trail off in the air with a melancholic glint in his eyes. With a last pat given on her head by Richard, he walked off leaving her by the doorway looking back at the empty street.

After a long moment of contemplation she remembered another detail and began sniffing the air. Somehow in smelling that there was no scent of perfume, she felt relieved. Wanting to have more proof that Touya hadn't gone to another so called harem, she climbed up the stairs to his room. Her eyes wandering from left to right, she sought anything that could give her any kind of hint to prove her doubts wrong.

Suddenly, her eyes fell upon a sky blue jacket and her hands instinctively grabbed hold of it. The male scent escaping from the jacket entered through her nostrils, giving her a blissful feeling of happiness. She embraced it strongly against her chest and the image of being held by Touya came to mind. At this point, her eyes suddenly ripped open upon realizing what she had just done. Strangely she didn't know if the feelings she had were equal to those she had for N but she felt that with each passing day her feelings grew stronger and she had no idea how to stop it from growing. Letting the jacket go by putting it back on the bed, she walked back to her room, her chest tightening at every step she took.

-x-x-x-x-

"_This still hasn't changed since last time I came_." Before him stood a pastel pink painted vintage house looking as chic and extravagant as its owner whom he had come to see. After having rung the bell, the front door opened up to reveal a middle aged woman with a generous body and a white wig from the Victorian age.

"Oh, Touya boy! Where have you been? We missed you so much, especially Lady Amour." The woman pulled him into a forceful hug, releasing him soon after to push him towards huge stairs leading to the second floor. Along the way he was greeted with a bunch of well built male servants, bowing in greeting.

"Now, now, go up the stairs to the usual room. Lately Lady Amour has been feeling a little down. I hope you could cheer her up." "Thank you, Eliza." The woman gave out another of her deep squeals with her usual opera like voice before pushing him halfway through the stairs.

Arrived in front of one of many red doors, he stopped intending to knock but the door opened without him having even touched the door. A beautiful woman wearing a red roses printed kimono hanging lazily from her shoulders to the ground leaving a long tail behind appeared at the door. Her face was half covered by an opened golden black fan she held gracefully with one hand. As she started talking, her voice sounded relieved as if she had thought him lost.

"Touya…I thought you would never come back again but here you are. I felt so lonely without having had your company for a while. Please come in." She stepped to the side and motioned with a swift movement from her fan into her room. He walked in and gazed at the surroundings. The room was decorated with an elegant dark blue color with gold colored patterns painted on the walls. Everything in the room looked high class made with the finest wood in Unova; even the bathroom left with an open door was equipped with a Jacuzzi. In short, it had stayed the same since last time he had come.

Without hesitation he sat back down on the couch locking his two hands together and leaning with his back on the pillows. Then he closed his eyes, thinking back on the times he had come here. The woman still standing by the door she had just closed was Lady Rose Amour, 25 years old, beautiful, with a generous bust and a fine silhouette. Every time he came was when he felt bad, really bad but he would never tell her why and she would never ask. With them there was no such thing as love or affection, it had been only physical with no proper conversation not before or after the act. And here he is again after a long absence with no hunger for that desirable woman in front of her. Why was he here? He, himself doesn't even know the answer.

Lady Rose sat down next to him, every movement she made was elegant, even her very presence made the atmosphere look chic in whatever condition. "Touya." She sighed out his name and he looked up at her, only to find a tad sorrowful expression on her make-upped face. "It seems you are only here to talk right? It's surprising. You have never chosen the couch…" Her last sentence came out as an inaudible whisper which Touya chose to ignore as he lowered his head to lie on her lap. She gratefully let him do it, peering down at his face with a smile, brushing a few strands from his face away.

Looking up at her peaceful expression he finally remembered why he came. That angel face combined with long blonde hair tickling his face, those reminded him of someone that had been very dear to him. That young girl that had been a baby-sitter for him when he was young until his father had dismissed when he didn't need her anymore that was the person he had seen in Lady Rose. Thinking back it maybe even was first love but that had been when he was a child as now the Devilish Lover doesn't know what true love is. Now, he didn't fell any desire, attraction or lust towards her. He only needed her to remind him of that late person that has probably already married another man and has brought a whole lot of children to the world.

Suddenly Lady Rose spoke up with the most delicate voice. "You aren't going to tell me anything are you not? I know because you were always like that but still every time I hoped you'd say anything and I was always left behind alone in a cold bed. I tried to tell myself that one day you might open up with me, that one day we could love one another." The last sentence left him with a cold impression as he tried to avoid her gaze. "_Love? Ha, she doesn't even know a thing about me besides my name and she's calling it love? Yes there is only one person who knows more about me than any other woman I ever touched."_ All of a sudden he felt the urge to go home, where he could find that person but his body just wouldn't move. "I guess you sorta remind me of someone I lost when I was a child."

He answered her in a bored voice as she pursed her lips. "Don't tell me I remind you of your mother?" She sounded shocked but softened as he shook his head. "Oh, then it's alright, I guess. Say Touya, can we not-" She wasn't able to finish as Touya lifted himself up to a sitting position next to her, cutting her off. "Look, I want to set this clear, this is the last time I come. I thought I could see her in you but I know now that I couldn't let go of that woman because she was the only one who cared sincerely for me even in knowing all my bad sides. Maybe I felt like that because she was the first and that there was never another woman with whom I felt so at ease with and now I know how I can let go of the past and it isn't by staying with you that it's going to help."

Her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water when she abruptly lifted herself to burst out following words, "So just because I look like another woman you want to end everything we've ever had and cancel anything further than that? I care about you too. If you only knew how much I love-" He cut her off again by putting a finger on her lips.

"Don't talk about love when you aren't ready to face the aftermath of it. You don't know what I've done and went though, you would run away with your tail between your legs if you ever knew the truth so don't come to me with your feelings." Her face was one of complete shock combined with sadness as he saw her eyes watering.

He then put his hands on each side of her head, staring her deep in the eyes. "I can't feel any kind of love, not until I have cleaned all the sins I have committed not after that woman, my mother, left me with empty promises. Find a man who can love you as much as you say you love me understood?" He talked with a forceful tone that made her flinch at certain parts of his sentences but still nodded at the end.

With a last word as goodbye he left Lady Rose's house, his heart heavier than ever. He finally let go of the woman who had cared for him as a child or at least the connection he had made with Lady Rose. He had left with mixed feelings and with the same questions on his mind. "_What is love?" "Where could I find it?" "Will I ever be able to feel it?"_ There was only one person he put the blame on for never being able to feel love and that was his mother.

-x-x-x-x-

Lazing on the couch the whole day was a relaxing way to forget about bothersome questions and of course, have the unlucky chance of gaining unwanted weight but at this point she didn't care. Touko switched from channel to channel, hoping for nothing in particular to come in sight as she looked down at the DVD player blinking the time. Touya has been out for a long time and didn't even come for dinner as the DVD player showed the green letters of 11:13 pm. Her mother and Richard were already sleeping but she had wanted to stay and wait. During the first hour she had started to watch TV while waiting, incredible possibilities of Touya's whereabouts popped into her mind like movie trailers before the start of a movie in the cinema when an interesting show had come and made her forget all about what she had been thinking up until then.

Suddenly she heard the entrance door being unlocked and opened and her face unconsciously brightened at the person who walked in, closing the door in his usual fashion, with his shoe. Touko lifted herself from the couch and for a moment she could swear that Touya wore a hurtful expression but it changed automatically to his usual carefree expression as he finally caught sight of her. She chose to ignore it for now and leaned against the couch.

"So you finally came home after having your share of pleasure from your harem?" She unconsciously asked him, with a hidden intention behind. Touya nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders, "You know me well don't you?" It wasn't the answer she had wanted and truthfully, she had wanted for him to deny it.

She stayed silent, not knowing what to answer as he suddenly rose up the first devilish smile of the day. "Say, were you waiting for me?" He started to snicker uncontrollably which led Touko to fold her arms strongly against her chest and closing her eyes to avoid any eye contact as she tried to get the correct words to lie. _"If I said I had really waited, I'm never going to hear the end of it. Actually why was I waiting in the first place?"_ Before she could reflect upon her question any further she felt a warm hand being placed on her cheek.

Startled she reopened her eyes, widening her eyes at the sight before her. Touya wore a peaceful expression a glint of sadness in his eyes and was caressing her cheek with his thumb. Touko was at a loss for words as she tried to avoid getting embarrassed and start blushing. Unfortunately her feelings took over her mind and she felt her cheeks warming up against her will. "_Oh great, now there is no way I can lie my way out of this but look what he's doing!"_ Before she could try to formulate a type of excuse out of her mouth Touya slowly whispered.

"You're…different. You're maybe the one who's got the answer." Touko looked at him puzzled by his words but he soon waved it off and withdrew his hand which gave her a feeling of sudden warmth missing on her cheek. "I guess, I'm beginning to feel sleepy seeing as I'm beginning to talk about weird things. You shouldn't stay out so late, it's bad for your skin." With a last grin towards her he headed towards the stairs but stopped as he felt his arm being pulled.

Touko was tugging tightly at his arm, refusing to let go until she got what she wanted answered. Her body had moved on its own and was now struggling to get the right words out while being eyed curiously by Touya.

"Are you always going to leave me with more questions at which you aren't intending to answer?" It wasn't the most important question she had in stock like the question in what his relationship with N was but she was sure he would at least answer her simple question.

He gave out a frustrated sigh. "You won't let me go until I answer right?" She nodded with the most serious expression. Just then he put a hand on her head which even with her serious expression made her cheeks redden again and she asked herself how one single action could lead her to act like that.

His hand was resting silently on her head as he answered. "As much as I like being glued to you I'll have to answer so here it goes. I think that I don't have to answer you because one day I feel like you will know the answers before I do. "With that she slowly withdrew the hand that had been gripping at his sleeve and he ruffled her hair one last time before going up the stairs. "Good night Sweetie Candy."

Upon hearing her new nickname, an unexpected laugh escaped her mouth and with it the answer to one of her own questions. She had been waiting for him because she cared.

* * *

><p><em>See you in the next chapter: Chapter 10: Something familiar<em>


	11. Chapter 10: Something familiar

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon B&W**

_Here we are again with a new chapter and I have to thank PandoraStar123 for always reminding me that it's time to upload a new chapter, so that's about it. **About the story:** I have just one thing to say about this, Touya's past is finally being revealed! Just enjoy and have a good read~ Oh and thank you for the reviews, it always keeps me motivated to write more! _

**Chapter 10:** Something familiar

The weeks flew by like the pages of a book being turned by the wind after that night where Touya had come home looking pretty down. However, the next day, he had already turned back to his old self, not even uttering a single word about the night before. Touko found it completely normal; it seemed that every time something dramatic would happen to him, he would ignore her questions or even literly change the subject. It only came out that she was feeling accustomed to his antics, which never seemed to change.

Of course, he never ceased to disrupt her peace with his continuous flirting attitude that led to nothing more than constant bickering between them. Today was another such day but where peace wouldn't last long.

"If I were to point my finger to a culprit, I would accuse you!" Touko raised her voice above the high sounds coming from the TV, glaring at Touya who didn't seem in wanting to back down from this verbal fight.

"Oh, excuse me if my royal highness wasn't fine with the programme I wanted to watch and ended up breaking the remote control." It was a fact, the two of them were each as stubborn as an automatic door which didn't want to open when one stood before it.

This reply made Touko's irritation boiling over the limit that was tolerated. "So you're saying I was the one who broke it when you were pushing the other end of the remote so frantically? Look here, I'm going to put my pride aside for a while and admit that we were **both** guilty in this. We broke the remote **together**." She truly felt a pang on her chest, right on the spot where her pride was laid but tried as hard as it might to ignore it.

"I still think it's your fault." He crossed his arms, pouting, not ready to accept her delicate care in settling things down.

Her lips pursed at his refusal, her voice once again reaching its highest peak. "You little-." The words caught in her throat as she tried to keep herself from jumping at his throat. Then again, what would it solve? Her temperature would rise as soon as any part of her body was touched by this very man in front of her.

"You know, I'm ready to take on all the blame for breaking the remote if you'll do a little something for me." His mischievous smile rose up on his lips as he swung the broken remote from left to right with his hand.

She had a slight idea at what he was getting at and glared back. "Like hell would I do something for you!"

Suddenly a voice erupted above the teens' voices as well as the TV's which without remote couldn't be turned off. "Kids, kids, kids, we can hear you through the whole mansion. What are you bickering over this time-." His sentence died down when his eyes had caught the probable cause of the bickering.

As soon as the two of them saw Richard, Touya quickly sent the remote flying at Touko's direction. She had no choice but to catch it clumsily in her hands, only to dispatch it right back to the sender.

Richard gave out a tired sigh, "Okay, so my next question is and I'm sure I'm going to regret it, which one of you broke the remote control?"

Both teens looked away, with Touya whistling nonchalantly to himself and Touko looking interestingly at nothing in particular. She was surprised that Touya hadn't blamed her in front of his father. For her part, she had the same strong pride as ever and therefore couldn't get as low as accusing someone with a pointed finger, although she had been ready to do this before Richard was involved.

Richard sighed once more, turning to Touya. "Touya-." He was directly interrupted by the person who was being named with an outraged sounding voice. "Hey, hey, why are you accusing **me** without evidence?"

"Calm down Touya, if you had let me finish my sentence, you would have heard that I wasn't going to talk about the remote but sending you out to buy a new one. Right now **you're** the man of the situation." Touya's father shoved him in the direction of the stairs, leaving Touya no time to protest. Then he turned to Touko with a smile.

"_What, is he suspecting me?"_ She silently stood rooted to the spot as she saw Richard walking towards her. He stopped in front of her, clasping a hand on her shoulder.

"Touko, I see you two are getting along quite well." Now she felt that so familiar feeling of regret coming back. These past few weeks, Richard had asked her many times about the favor he had asked of her. Of course, she had always given out vague answers or completely avoided the question as she didn't know if it was her rightful place to tell him the truth. Nevertheless, her opinion changed when she had thought over the fact that he was his father so he had all rights to know what was happening in his own son's head. So, she ended up by telling him everything she had come to know avoiding at all costs the "intimate" moments that they had gone through together like the famous episode about them sharing a bed. After having told him everything, he fell silent, gazing into empty space. His eyes showed sadness as he was reflecting upon his failure at being a father. Sadly, she didn't know what to say in that situation and there was probably not even the need, seen as Richard cheered up and thanked her, relieved to finally know how his son had been feeling these last years.

Touko looked up at him with a frown, "Does our constant bickering and fights seem proof of us getting along for you? Excuse me, but to me, it just shows how much we can't stand each other." Somehow the last part of her sentence had seemed wrong to her.

Richard only widened his smile, his gentle voice, he had begun to use since the day he was informed about his son's situation, resounding in the room. "You're wrong. You see, I see him smiling a whole lot when he's teasing you and it's not because he doesn't like you. Indeed, I don't know for sure if he likes you but I'm pretty sure he doesn't hate you either."

She tilted her head, skeptic eyes meeting with gentle one's as her only response was a simple sigh. "Ah that's right; your mother wanted your help in the kitchen. I think that she's making her famous delicious apple pie." Richard licked his lips at the mention of the dessert being done, walking away excitingly towards the library.

Touko was about to go to the kitchen when she remembered that the devil was preparing his red suit upstairs and her legs just wouldn't move. It was as if they wanted to wait until he came back down to see him off. It was true that he had completely stopped his little visits to that famous place of his and there were no longer any scents of the cologne he had worn on his nights out.

She kept pacing around as natural as possible until he came down and looked at her with a quizzical look. Unbeknownst to her, he stood there watching her for a moment, a knowing smile rising on his face. "Did you wait for me Rosiebee? Did you maybe want to go with me?"

His sudden outcall startled her and she slowly turned around. _"Damn and what now?"_ She quickly thought of a reply, scolding her mind for wanting to check if every time he went out, he would put on his cologne. Was this jealousy? Maybe. Then, how about it being curiosity? Heck, yes it was.

"Look here; do I have to get your permission to stay in the room right near the exit door?" She spoke up triumphantly, relieved that she had found a good retort. However, her soon to be stepbrother thought otherwise as he narrowed his eyes in suspicion but only let out a sigh, walking further towards the door.

Touko watched him walking and wondered why he let her go off that easily when he suddenly turned around to her. "Well, if you don't want to go with me then you'll just have to be good and wait for me a little longer alright?" The way his voice had sounded was like a mother's who was leaving her child waiting at home to go shopping.

She quirked an eyebrow but said nothing more while Touya winked at her a last time before disappearing behind the heavy granite door. What had she been thinking, she thought. Not wanting to ask herself any more unanswered questions, she shook her head and began walking towards the kitchen when the phone rang in the room.

"Richard, the phone is ringing!" She shouted loud enough for him to hear in the library. Richard did come running rather clumsily and out of breath into the room, scowling at her when he realized he had come too late as the phone had stopped ringing.

"Touko, could I ask why you didn't answer the phone?" He scolded her as she smiled at him widely. "Firstly, it isn't my house. Secondly, I'm not paid to be answering the phone as a secretary and lastly I thought of you as the man of the situation." She had used the same sentence as he had used back at his son, catching the man of guard.

After a long silence the two of them began to laugh at the same time together, attracting the attention of Touko's mother. She walked into the room and shook her head, calling both of them children.

Day by day, Touko noticed the heartwarming feelings that had begun to settle in her heart, feelings she thought she had long forgotten. Finally, she felt like she belonged here, where there was a family who welcomed her as well as her mother. Of course, to her, Touya could still not be called "family" to her but that was for another reason.

The phone began to ring again, and this time Richard picked it up. "Summer's mansion, Richard here." Her mother motioned for Touko to come to the kitchen when Richard's next words stopped her.

"Natasha?" _"Natasha? Wasn't it Touya's…?"_ As soon were those words spoken did Touko and her mother look at each other before coming closer to the phone, concealing their sighs of surprise and hiding behind Richard's back.

"Yes, it's good to hear from you again. … Really?" Long minutes passed without any interesting information being revealed until Touya's name echoed in the room.

"Hm, he's gone out but Natasha you know that he-. Okay, I'll let him know. Still I won't promise he'll accept it." Richard hung back the phone and with a long sigh, he stretched back his arms, chuckling to himself.

"Now aren't there two little curious kittens listening behind my back?" Even though his voice sounded overly cheerful, it was clear to both women that there was something bothering him.

Touko decided to speak up but before she could actually formulate a sentence, Richard grabbed her by the shoulders with a serious expression. "I'm afraid I'll have to ask you for another favor." From his begging eyes, she could already see what that peculiar "favor" might be. Feeling another pair of doggy eyes coming from her mother, she nodded to Richard.

"I want you to get him to talk to his mother." She sighed, asking herself if she wasn't going to commit to something impossible. "All right, but I won't promise that I'll actually succeed." Truth be told, it was mission impossible for her. After all, she didn't know exactly what had happened between Touya and his mother as every information that she had gotten was leaked indirectly out of his mouth. She didn't even have the courage to ask him directly about the case and she probably will never be able to.

Pulling her in for a hug, Richard squealed like a girl who got the high heels she wanted on sale, "I believe in you Touko!" He squeezed her in his arms, taking her precious breath away before finally letting her go. She looked up just in time to see a glint of concern in his eyes and there she realized that maybe he had wanted to be the one to gain the courage to ask his own son about the issue but as the circumstances lie, it was impossible for him to do so.

"Good, now before you do anything, know that Natasha will be staying here until Sunday because she has to leave for another business trip on Monday morning, all right?" _"What?"_ Her mind cried for help when she noticed that Sunday was only three days away. _"How can I possibly convince him in such a short period of time?"_

The favor had been accepted and so the time flew by without Touko having even mentioned the fact of Touya's mother being in town to the son himself. It's not like she didn't have the courage to bring it up to him or that she thought up excuses to herself for not telling him. No, the reason was that every time she tried to get on the subject something or someone would always interrupt the moment and with it Touko's determination.

"_But not today."_ As those words were being spoken out loud in her mind, she found herself in front of the devil's lair, prepared to go into what seemed to be a battlefield of feelings in her mind. It was Saturday, the day that she gathered her courage enough to bring the issue out to him. The moment was perfect, they had just finished eating and Touya had gone to his room to rest during the afternoon. As always his door was ajar, welcoming everyone who wanted to wander further into the room and for the first time since she had come to his mansion, she knocked on the door.

Touya's voice resounded in the room, inviting her in. The moment she stepped in the room, Touya turned around from where he had been looking out the window, a surprised look on his face. "Huh, Rosiebee? That's unusual. Normally, you'd never knock before entering." He went behind her to close the door, then receiving no reply; he proceeded to continue the conversation. "Is something the matter?" He positioned himself before her and feeling that the moment for her to speak without someone's interference came closer, she tightened her fists.

With fierce serious eyes, she began to speak. "Touya, first of all, I don't care what opinion you have of me after this but it's something you have to know." After inhaling some fresh new air, she resumed. "Your mother is in town until Sunday. You know where I want to get at don't you?"

His expression was one of pure shock for a few seconds, and then it changed to a more angered one. When he spoke, it looked like he was trying to keep his voice under control so not to burst out. "Didn't we agree to never speak of it again when you hurt your knee? I won't make a big deal out of it if you say that you forgot." His eyes inquired for her to follow his instructions but it was too late, she had begun to speak of it and she would not stop until she gave everything she had into it.

"I won't because I didn't forget. Didn't you see that all this time your big complex about your mother didn't only hurt you but everyone around you too? Have you thought just a minute about what your father thought of it? Maybe, he's been hurt about your mother leaving too and you, of course, wouldn't know because of your damn narcissism!" These words spoken, she fearfully began to regret them as she noticed the deep frown on Touya's features but she stood her ground with clenched fists and jaw.

Then, Touya gave out a humor less laugh, "Yeah, right. Do you think you know everything? Who are you to speak to me as if you knew the whole background of my childhood?" She noticed that he was waiting for a reply and retorted back.

"Yes, I know about you a whole lot than you might think. Maybe not everything but one thing I know is that you are so upset about your mother because she left you with a promise. She promised to come back and take you with her. But in the end, she never did, did she?" Her voice was kept low as if she was speaking to a child, when she noticed a glint of pain making its way to Touya's eyes.

"How...-" He was at a loss for words as his voice had visibly trembled. "When you had a cold, you mistook me for your mother and told me not to leave you or to take you with me. That's one thing I know but if you don't open up to anyone how do you want to be understood?" He had regained his frown back at her words and sharply hissed. "Maybe I don't want to be understood?"

She sighed in frustration but wasn't ready to give up. She was about to speak up when he cut her off. "She…that woman, do you only understand how she messed up my childhood? Everything that she did, the love that she gave me, all those promises that she said she would keep, were they all lies? Children that young are too naïve and believe in absolutely everything and I was one of them. Back then, she was the only one I had hold close to me since all my father ever did was working until late. It came to the point where I asked myself if I even had a father. Then came that day, where I have absolutely no idea why that woman suddenly left but she had promised she'd come back to take me with her. So, guess what I did? I waited day and night by that entrance door, heck; I sometimes even slept in front of it because I still held onto that woman's words. Nobody was able to tear me away as I would scream until I gave away every breath I had to stay put by that door. One day, I just came to the conclusion that she was gone and that she wouldn't come back no matter how hard I wished for her to come. It had taken me several years, several wasted years, but I had finally understood and with each day, my hatred only grew and with it I promised to never trust in anyone ever again." His voice sounded angered at first, and then with each sentence it grew stable without losing its seriousness.

Touko understood his pain, the pain of knowing that someone wouldn't come back again but couldn't quite accept his beliefs. Contrary to her, he is still able to see his lost parent again while she cannot. Things can be brought back together if somebody wasn't so against it.

"Touya, it's not too late. You can still patch things up with her. You can ask her why she forgot about her promise." "Shut up! There's nothing to arrange between me and that woman. That promise, it was the first and the last one that she will ever break regarding me. She lost everything in breaking it and me with it." She flinched at his yell and began to tremble, her mind filling up with the image of her late father. _"This guy…He doesn't even know what luck he has. Forgive me…"_ Her fists were now trembling even more and her eyes blurring but not because of fear but of anger.

Her hand raised itself against her will, slapping Touya right across his face. He stumbled, startled by her action and held his hand to his cheek which was starting to grow beet red.

"You…Idiot! Can't you see what incredible luck you have or do you need some more proof? Your mother left you with a broken promise and the only thing you can think of doing is surrender to hatred? Are you completely mad? I understand that everyone would be saddened and oddly disappointed but what they do is grow stronger to search for the truth. But **you**, you're telling me that you don't want to know why she broke the promise in the first place. Damn it, be a man for once in your lifetime! While you live practically in a castle with a father and a whole bunch of servants, you complain about how your life is miserable when it's clearly not. Just look at you know, can't you the damn forget about what happened 10 years ago and make something out of your life? Your mother is still alive damn it! While I don't have a father anymore you have…still have…" She wasn't able to continue as she clearly began to sob and her throat to dry.

Before Touya could say anything, she fled from the room to her own, closing her door with a loud thud. She let herself fall onto her bed, let herself cry dry from everything. _"Me and my foul mouth. Why did everything make me remember Daddy? Daddy…I miss you. I miss you a whole lot!"_

That day, she didn't go down for dinner nor did Touya as she had heard later on. She still doesn't know if their parents had heard their argument because they did yell rather loudly to be heard but nothing of it was mentioned the next day.

The light shone into her room and Touko woke up, glad to finally have found a way to block the clarity from hurting her eyes in putting grey curtains on the window. While she was putting on her clothes, she suddenly remembered the day before. She let a sigh escape. _"Hah, I said some pretty dirty things didn't I? But I just wanted…"_ Had she been thinking about her own interests because she was thinking about her father? Had she wished she could have Touya's luck? Yes, she was ready to do everything if she could only have a glimpse of her father again. So, yes, to everything she had done and thought yesterday and if what she said didn't move even just a heart muscle in Touya then… _"I guess I've done everything I could."_

Suddenly she heard someone knocking on her door and quickly put the rest of her clothes on to open it, only to find an unexpected person. "Touya?" His name came unwillingly out of her mouth, he was the person she really didn't expect and wanted to see. Because of yesterday's happenings she had been on edge the whole time and was, sincerely, afraid of what his reaction would be the next morning.

"Hey." He sounded tired and from looking at his eyes, Touko could tell that he hadn't slept very well if not to say, not at all. "Look, I thought about what you said yesterday and don't worry, I'm not mad at you but rather, I appreciate your words. So, I thought it up and figured that maybe I'll talk with…her." He had trouble with his last words being thrown out and simply looked at her, awaiting any kind of reaction from her.

Touko smiled, forgetting all about yesterday. "Hm, I'll go talk to Richard about it then." Touya gave out a sigh he probably hadn't realized he'd been holding and with a nod, walked off into his room again. Somehow, her smile just widened all the more as she kept thinking about Touya's decision and felt excited to reveal the good news to the adults. So without much further ado, she left her room to literally run downstairs. Arrived at the end of the stairs, she suddenly stopped, feeling a worrisome burnt scent coming from the kitchen, she grew anxious but soon shook those feelings off, as she had, of course, a most important announcement to make.

Her feet suddenly came to a stop when she perceived both Richard and her mother in an even more worrisome state than whatever meal had been burnt. Richard's features were overshadowed by frowns and her mother was looking at nothing in particular on the ground, holding a close napkin to her lips. "What is wrong with you two? Has something happened?" Her voice came out trembling more than it should, doubled with an anxiety she didn't knew she could feel at so much intensity.

Richard finally turned to her, his grave expression still set on his face. He came slowly towards her until stopping and grabbing her by the shoulders in a softly yet reassuringly way.

"Touko…" He paused, clearly pained by what he was about to say next. "Natasha…-" He was cut off by her mother's suddenly cry of pain. There was no denying it; she could guess what happened but still wanted to hear it for real. "Natasha was killed in a car accident."

Suddenly all her efforts seemed to break into thousand pieces, shattering at the same time on the ground. "Wha- but Touya-." Realizing what Touko was trying to say, Richard looked even more hurt and so did her mother. Her efforts had been wasted but why wasn't she crying nor feeling sad? Was it because she didn't got to know this "Natasha"? No, it was simply because she was only focusing on her success in having brought Touya to meet his mother that she didn't even think about something else.

Her mind was constantly repeating "what now?" as she suddenly heard footsteps from above. Her body finally felt the need to move but her mind wasn't ready to tell it where to, so she stood there paralyzed, looking at the adult's for help.

Richard pulled her into an embrace, whispering calming words into her ear, "Touko, calm down and look natural. He doesn't need to know it right away and don't worry I'll take care of everything tonight alright?" She gently nodded, feeling more reassured as Richard pulled her to stay between her mother and him. Her mother had wiped out everything that remained from her tears on her face and was now putting on a gentle smile.

Then Touya came down the stairs whistling to himself and stopped in his tracks as soon as he saw the three of them. "What are you up to? And why are you aligned like soldiers?" He looked at them confused as they each harbored the brightest of smiles.

To end his suspicious questions, her mother called him to eat breakfast but suddenly remembered that the food was burnt, so apologized and started to make new dishes. Touko was still as if glued to the ground, not sure about what she should do or say when Richard's words echoed on her head. _"Yeah, I shouldn't probably give myself away."_ She excused herself to everyone and retreated back to her room. There wasn't' really anything she could have done if she had stayed, so she remained for the entire afternoon in her room. Surprisingly, Touya had come to her door a few times asking if she was alright and if her behavior had anything to do with the previous day. She reassured him, saying that she just wanted some time alone and she couldn't tell if he had felt satisfied with her answer but he always walked away as soon as he got an answer, saying nothing more.

During her afternoon, she managed to redecorate her room with items she had asked for Richard to buy. Since he had asked her what she would like as a reward for her hard work on the favor he had asked, she had sprung on the occasion to ask for more furniture. So, she was contemplating an empty corner on her room, wondering what should fill that empty space. Finally, she decided to spread a large black fluffy rug on the ground, combining them with two pieces of black dotted cushions simply put here and there on the rug.

Finally feeling satisfied with her new room, she began to think about what doing next, when someone knocked on her door again. She opened up to find Touya, a bright smile on his face. "Dinner time! I advise you to come quickly because there won't be enough fish for both of us." His smile, which had proved to be fake, contorted to a more mischievous one.

She expected him to speed of down the hall because that's what he always did after having called her to come for dinner and they would try to get at each other throats to get the last piece of meat left but surprisingly enough, he stayed put. She looked at him with a quizzical look as he made a movement with his hand to indicate her to start walking before him.

Feeling slightly skeptic, she began to walk when she suddenly got thrown back into a wall. The impact didn't hurt her, but made her heart jump as if it was trying to jump right out of her chest. She had closed her eyes during the impact and therefore wasn't able to get any clue about the expression Touya might be wearing and was beginning to feel scared at the thought of him having changed his opinion on her. Nevertheless, she had finally got the courage to open her eyes, only to find Touya's serious expression. "Tell me; is it because of me that you didn't come down all afternoon?" Her heart clenched at his words as they were spoken out with utmost sadness. _"It wasn't because of you but for you."_ Knowing that she would have blown everything if her thoughts had actually come out of her mouth, she bit on her tongue to avoid any unwanted words to set free.

She quickly shook her head and he leaned his head further towards her, until their faces where barely an inch away. His warm breath began to tickle her in one of her most sensible places by the ear as his face stood hovering above her own, her body caged between both of his muscular arms. They stayed in that position for a while when Touya suddenly pulled away, leaving her with a sudden sensation of loneliness as if something that shouldn't have parted from her, disappeared, her heart still madly beating in her chest.

Bringing his fist artistically under his chin, he suddenly exclaimed, "I got it!" Then turning towards her he resumed. "It's that time of the month again right? Really, why do girls all feel embarrassed to admit that their bad mood is because of a simple thing as this?" Touko tilted her head to the side in confusion. _"Is he talking about me? And actually, I really just had them last week but how did he come to this conclusion?"_ He had gone off to his own world and his ranting about "girls are this and that" made her want to laugh but she quickly stopped it in time. Soon, maybe she won't be able to see him looking so happy again.

Dinner had been pretty much the same, apart from the fact that this time she left the last piece of meat to Touya although what shocked her most was the fact of him having cut off the meat in two identical pieces, bringing up the excuse of him having already a full stomach. She instinctively smiled but refused the remaining piece of meat. Was it because she had felt sorry for him? Or was it because she wanted to do something for him? Of this, she had no idea.

Soon, the plates where being emptied and as every fork was being put back down, Touko felt a sudden fear rise within her throat. _"Is it that time already?"_ As if feeling Touko's anxiety, Richard slowly began to speak. "Touko, didn't you have a lot of furniture to move in your room?" For an instant she had narrowed her eyes in confusion but slowly began to understand that he was trying to make her leave without giving Touya any suspicions. _"Did he notice how much I was uncomfortable?" _

Everyone had their eyes on her, awaiting an answer and she finally nodded, taking on a natural expression on her face. She stood up, acting as if she was stretching out of tiredness. "Yeah, you're right. I should go up and finish moving." Suddenly Touya grabbed her arm back as she tried to walk away. "Wait, the three of you have been strange since this morning. Even though I said I would talk with that person again, and here you said that she wasn't available today because she had too much work? I don't know if it's me, but there's definitely something strange." He glared at everyone in turn with his suspicious eyes until Touko yanked her arm back. That's it; it was too much for her to take it all in but although her heart cried out for her to tell him the truth herself, her mouth stayed sewed. She only gave him a quick pat on his back before rushing upstairs, ignoring the calls behind her.

"What was that? I didn't know that thing could get that bad…" Touya whispered, too low for anybody except for him to hear. Turning back around, he found a total different image in front of his eyes. A picture of two adults carrying a horrible burden, and it was exactly that burden which they were about to get rid of.

As soon as she came back to her room, she clumsily closed the door behind her, settling herself on the new rug in the corner. She tried as hard as she might to concentrate on everything but probable sounds that would be heard any time or imagining the scene of a broken hearted Touya. Did she act like a coward? Yes, she did and she felt disappointed with herself somehow. Her actions all along the weekend were cowardly. If she had just tried to mention to Touya about her mother a little earlier, he would have been able to see her but no, she had given up every time someone came to disturb them. So many "what if" questions were repeating on her mind and she suddenly didn't know what to do, to think of anything else.

It was only after a few minutes did she really began reading a book of existing legendary Pokémon in the world and actually concentrating on it but it was soon disturbed by a knock on her door. "Come in." She was expecting that her mother would come in and tell her about how it went but to her great surprise, it was Touya. The door had slowly crept open, showing a rather silent Touya. His expression was unreadable, as he slowly shut back the door, leaning against it for a few seconds before coming back towards her. His bangs were covering his eyes as he sat on the rug in front of her. "Touya…" It was all she managed to say. What more could she have said? Even though she lost a parent when she was young and knows how the pain feels, it could still not compare to the feelings Touya might be having.

Touko tried to think of comforting words but none came out. What are the possible words one could say in that situation when you know that the person in front of you came to you instead of anybody else? Sorry? My condolences? It's too bad? Or everything's going to be alright? No, because those words wouldn't change anything if spoken by her. A few years ago they hadn't taken away any of her pain with those words so why should it work for Touya?

Before she could think about what to do next, she noticed his slumped shoulders shaking and as she was about to extend a hand towards him, he suddenly leapt forward into her arms. His arms wounded around her neck as his face buried into her chest. Touko stayed a moment without moving due to the momentary shock she had gotten, and then she heard soft sobs from underneath. They were followed by muffled words she didn't quite get before his sobs grew clearer. Her heart hurt terribly as she sat there not knowing what to do, trying not to fall back because of the sudden mass of weight he pushed on her.

Without thinking, her right hand slowly began to slide behind his back where she began to draw circles while her other one crept on the back of his head, caressing his soft hair. It was suddenly like her mouth had a mind of its own as it began to whisper calming words, trying to hush him along the way. Then, his sobs grew stronger and his mouth brought up piercing screams but she never stopped to hold him. Indeed, she only held him closer against her, her heart trying to imitate the same pain as his so that he wouldn't feel like the only one in his agony.

Suddenly, her eyes began to water and soon tears were falling uncontrollably. For the first time after she had heard about the accident of his mother, she was finally crying. His tears weren't shameful to her eyes. No, for her to see him cry like this is proof that he can show emotions instead of stating them with words. Indeed, his tears, that had since long been kept away, were now streaming down like a waterfall. _"His tears are…beautiful."_

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><p><em>See you in the next chapter: Chapter 11: The past and the present<em>


	12. Chapter 11: The Present and The Past

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon**

_First things first I'd like to apologize for the long wait but to forgive myself I brought a loong chapter along this time.** About the story:** Maan was it depressing to write this, at some point I even felt guilty about certain points but oh well, this is just the beginning of a long drama and I hope I can write happy things again soon! Anyways enjoy and thank you for the reviews, they are always nice to read and to have~_

**Chapter 11 :** The Past and the Present

"_It's pitch black again. This feeling…have I felt it somewhere before? Right, I've been here before. Here, in this dark and cold sea, surrounded by nothing else than the bubbles that my breath leaves behind. It's heavy too. So heavy. Please let it stop or I'll be crushed by whatever's pressuring me!"_

Touko's eyes flew open in an instant, breathing and sweating heavier than ever. _"Right, I got that similar dream again." _Suddenly she noticed that something heavy was really crushing her and looked upwards, her eyes meeting nothing but darkness. The only light shining was that of a near lamp post stationed outside on the street, streaming through the window left uncovered.

She waited patiently for her eyes to grow accustomed to the darkness. It only took her a few moments to finally fill her view which was blocked by a brown tuft of hair. At that moment, all the events of last night kicked in, about the fight she had had with Touya, his agreement on seeing his mother, the car accident and finally how it ended up with him crying in her arms.

Touya was snoring quietly above her, his face still buried in her chest. It was only now that she noticed that they had fallen asleep together on the fluffy new rug. A slight blush grew on her face but she deftly shook her head. _"No use thinking about how embarrassing it is now. The most important thing is to get him out of here."_ Had they been lucky that no one of their parents had wanted to wish them good night yesterday? It would surely had been "out of place" if they had seen in what position they were sleeping. Of course, there was no excuse for what they were doing and it's not like they were doing something outrageous but to Touko it would have seemed wrong if their parents had actually seen something.

She gave out a quiet sigh. _"Maybe they didn't come because they were feeling guilty? I'm just glad I wasn't there when they mentioned the car accident to Touya…"_ It already broke her heart when he had come in her room to agonize in her arms but what would have happened if she had stayed?

There again she went on shaking her head, trying to clear out as much morose feelings as possible. With another sigh, she began to slowly shake Touya to wake him up. After a few moments, she sensed his body flinching and decided to move him. Surprisingly enough, he rolled to his side, letting Touko breathe anew.

She thought that he was going to get up but no, he remained silent, his eyes fixed on the ceiling. _"Well at least he's awake."_ He made no signs of moving and thanks to the faint lights coming from outside she was able to peer at his eyes. Her heart squeezed as she saw that his eyes had lost that so devilish glint of his. Indeed, his brown eyes seemed to have reverted into a darker lifeless color, one who would send sadness to whoever had the misfortune to come across them.

It was already bad enough Touya being in her room so late into the night but it would be even worse to have their parents discovering it. She stopped in her thoughts for a few minutes. Why was she so preoccupied about the situation anyway? If their parents were to stumble into the room, would the situation seem wrong to their eyes? Normally she wouldn't care, it's not like they're doing something weird but right now her mind had already won over her heart. In this precise moment she only wanted him back to his room before it was found out. _"Heck, I'll find a reason for that later." _

Staying true to her decision, she tried to convince Touya with her words. "Touya, you need to get back to your room. You can't sleep here forever you know?" She said the last part jokingly hoping to get some kind of reaction from him but here again, he lay motionless.

Touko breathed in a reassuring amount of fresh air before she proceeded to the next step. She pulled him up until he went into a sitting position, then she slung her arm around his waist while she wound his left arm around her neck. In her mind she was thinking as hard as iron that trying to lift him up was mission impossible, not with that amount of muscles and definitely not with her thin untrained arms.

Surprisingly enough, it gave her no effort and soon he was standing next to her, leaning his head against her shoulder. _"Weird. I could have sworn that I wasn't that strong yesterday or maybe-?"_ She had an idea as to why he felt so easy to lift but decided to test her theory out.

Slowly she took a step forwards and just like she expected, Touya copied her. _"I knew it."_ Touya stood firmly on his feet and could very well go to his room alone, so then why wasn't he moving? Touko had no idea why he didn't but apparently he was helping her carrying him. There were several explanations but Touko only sighed, leading him the way to his own rom although her arm wasn't now supporting him but was only there for "show".

Seeing him in this weak condition, the fact about wanting to be carried and now being tucked in his bed, was like Touya had reverted back to a child wanting that attention and care he had been missing back then.

Touko tucked him to bed, sliding the blanket up to his chin and with a last smile she closed his eyelids with a soft touch of her hand whispering him good night. How much she had wanted to stay with him all night but here again her sense of morale had caught up to her. Had she stayed if he had stopped her? Maybe, but she would feel too much obliged to go back to her own room. At every step she took towards her room, her heart squeezed tighter. _"Would it be really bad to feel like this?"_

Morning sunlight gave out his welcome present through the window which had been left uncovered the night before. Touko's eyes fluttered open as the mild heat of the sunlight shined on her. She lied comfortably in her current sleeping position while enjoying the last rays of sunlight for the season. Her eyes opened up again, only to stumble upon a simple plain black dress. With a sigh she heaved herself to a sitting position. "Mom must have brought me the dress when I was still asleep. So…it's finally the day."

Two days had passed since Natasha's death and during these days, Touya had completely changed into a lifeless zombie. He barely ate, absolutely didn't utter a single word nor did he put a foot out of his door since that day Touko had tucked him in his bed. His behavior was worrisome for the rest of the three family members but no one ever tried to get him to speak. Touko's mother brought him daily his food and although the tray was always returned half empty, she didn't complain but had only felt relief as Touya had at least eaten enough to her satisfaction. His father was the most concerned one and kept on blaming himself whenever his son had been the subject of a conversation. He also made long strides along the hallway, going back and forth in front of his son's room, only stopping to take a long glance at the door then sighing sadly while going back downstairs. Lastly, Touko also kept herself busy in her room, taking out random books out of her shelves, turning the pages one by one without even reading a single one. As hard as she tried to think about something else, it always came bugging back…until today.

A soft knock came out at her door before a fine silhouette came in, graciously walking towards her. Touko was wearing the black dress that had been presented to her, glancing at the mirror to get a clear look at herself when she saw her mother standing behind her. _"As expected, Mom is really beautiful once she does her outdoor make-up."_ Without a word, Touko turned around, only to be hold in a tight yet compassionate grip.

The two of them reached the living room downstairs where Richard had been waiting. Touko looked around but found no trace of Touya anywhere but when her eyes met Richard's, she knew that another heavy task was about to fall upon her.

Richard briefly closed his eyes at the view of the two women, breaking off the call he had been making. While her mother was putting on her jacket, Richard walked over to Touko, putting a gentle hand on her shoulder.

With a weak smile he said, "Touko, I know that it feels like I'm dumping all the dirty work on you whenever it concerns Touya, but would you help me out here again?" His eyes were glistening in the light whether it was because of the funeral or because of the fact of being still convinced of having been a bad father was left unknown.

Touko firmly nodded despite herself, shooting a reassuring smile to her mother who had been standing by the door. Pulling her in a warm embrace, Richard whispered a word of thanks in her ear before releasing her completely to join her mother. Before he could actually pass the door, he turned around reminding her that she had thirty minutes left before the funeral would begin.

With a heavy sigh, Touko began her little journey up the stairs, searching for all the right words existing in the world to convince a son to come to his mother's funeral along the way. She found her soon to be brother's room closed, exactly how it had been when she had passed by with her mother earlier on. After softly having knocked on the door, she waited for a response which as she had expected didn't come. She resolved to open the door but stopped by the doorway when she saw him standing by the window, looking outdoors, just like all the other times she had seen him upon stumbling through the door. This time however, his face while looking outside gave out another type of emotion.

Touko's eyes suddenly softened as she began to understand. _"That's right. Though this lies entirely under my speculation."_ When Touko had seen him looking like this before, she could see that his eyes seemed to search something that wasn't there but still hoping it would come to view. Now, the word sadness was written all over his face, he knew now that the silhouette of the woman he had wanted to appear at his doorstep would never even be able to even try it.

"Touya…" Touko cautiously called out to him so as not to take him by surprise. Touya slowly turned around, and something about the way his eyes narrowed, told her that he had guessed why she had come. After a few slow steps, he slumped on his bed and while propping his arms on his legs he held his head downwards, gazing absentmindedly at nothing in particular on the floor.

Touko remained where she stood for a moment, silently gazing at him. She had gathered all her effort in trying to pick out the right words but she knew that whatever words she would utter wouldn't make him feel better. Looking at him now, made her remember how it had been for her the day of her father's funeral and suddenly all the events of that time came back to her. Even though she had been much younger then, the feelings she had at that time were surely the same as his. Words wouldn't do much besides calming someone. What he needed the most was presence and understanding.

An idea popped into her head and she briefly closed her eyes. _"Mom, I'm sorry. I'll have to break our promise._"

Touko quietly sat next to him on the bed, leaning her head backwards, her arms propping her upper body as she slid them behind her back. "Touya let me tell you a story. It happened a very long time ago."

There was no turning back now as she started her story. She would have to face the aftermaths later. With a light sigh, she lifted her eyes to the roof.

"Actually it was on the day of my fifth birthday…"

"_Mommy, daddy, it's time to wake up!" I had always been cheerful as a child and that day had been no exception. I had stormed inside my parents' room, jumping up and down on their bed. _

"_Touko baby, calm down. What's the big commotion about?" My father…was the best father one could have wished for even though everyone's father is seen like this by their own child. For me, he was perfect. Kind, cheerful, helpful, all that and much more. He was working as a freelance writer, so he was always at home. Luckily enough, business was going great for him. His books were selling just okay and he was even promised a great career as writer. _

_I puffed out my cheeks as I always did when I got mad. "Da-ddy, don't tell me you forgot what day today is!" My mother started to laugh while my father continuously teased me in pretending not to know what day it was. It ended with me getting so mad that I turned my back at him, my eyes watering and my tears threatening to fall down._

_However, when I thought that I was really about to cry, my feet suddenly left the ground. I turned my head to see who had picked me up and when I turned around my eyes met with my father's one's. He quickly kissed my forehead, whispering in my ear. "Happy birthday Touko baby." _

_Though it was supposed to make me calm down it brought in the opposite effect, even more when my mother surrounded us to give me another kiss. I was crying out of happiness, just typical for a child. Thinking about it now, people who would see us like this would surely see us as a happy family. Though it was true, we didn't see that by the end of that day, things would change completely. The dreamy reality was about to turn into a nightmare._

_The day was going smoothly, we ate breakfast and lunch as always, leaving the celebrating for the evening when the afternoon came kicking in. It was strongly storming outside and when my father went to check the weather through the window, his face was oddly serious. "Marian, the weather outside is really bad, add the strong winds and heavy rain to the list and it would be life threating to even step out of the house." _

_My mother had suddenly put on the same face as him but of course I didn't understand what was being talked about. "Mommy, daddy, aren't you going to bring the cake?" I asked innocently not knowing that the cake decorated with cute characters I had spotted in a bakery and asked my parents to buy had still been waiting at that so called bakery. The employee had said that another cake had to be made but they would make sure it would look exactly as the cake put on display. My father had wanted to go pick up the cake on my birthday and now with that weather it was impossible. _

_My mother had noticed my father's perplexed face after I had spoken out my mind and feared that he really might go pick up that cake in such a bad weather. Slowly she came up to my father. "Honey, you're not thinking about really going out are you?" _

_He didn't need words as his eyes already told her that he was decided on it. "Leonard! Don't even think about putting just one step out of that door." I watched confused, not sure why my mother was suddenly calling my father with his first name as she only used it when they were arguing or talking about a serious matter. At that moment I thought, why are they arguing over a cake? But now I feel guilty for not understanding what was going on. _

"_Marian, you know that I would do everything for my baby. It won't be long I promise." He crouched down next to me to kiss my forehead and told me to wait patiently for my cake. Perhaps feeling satisfied by it, I nodded, cheerfully smiling back at him. _

_My mother followed him to the entrance door while trying to dissuade him not to go. My father put on his jacket and hat and turned back at my mother who gave out one last attempt. "Please, you said so yourself that it was life-threatening to go out like this. I know that you'll do everything to see your daughter's smile but didn't I always say to you that going overboard would kill you someday? Though it was meant to be a joke, don't make it come true." _

_My father sighed slowly, shaking his head. "Love, I'll be back soon you'll see." With a last kiss pressed down on my mother's lips he opened the door and quickly closed it down behind him. For a moment I had felt a cold strong wind coming from the entrance door as I saw strong broad shoulders getting hid by the entrance door. And that was the last time I saw him._

_Long minutes passed, and then hours came into play and not long after that, night came. My mother was worriedly pacing back and forth in front of the entrance door, occasionally looking out the window. The storm had died down some time ago when the doorbell suddenly rang. Obviously, thinking it was my father, my mother literally ran towards the sound, opening the door energetically only to close it after a good moment._

_Who and what was spoken about behind that door had been a mystery to me. It was only much later did I learn about the details._

_Upon opening the door, my mother had been confronted with two police officers who told her that they had found my father's car, crashed against a tree. What happened was that due to the bad weather, my father hadn't been able to manoeuver the left turn on the street and the car had naturally slid on the wet road to crush against a tree. They also told her that my father hadn't survived and they insisted on giving her a white box who had been kept untouched. That box…had been the cake._

_Soon after the door had closed, my mother had slid to the floor, her eyes stuck to the box. I stood on the doorway, not knowing what had just happened, I walked towards my mother. "Mommy why are you crying? Where is daddy?" With each question I made, my mother's cries grew stronger, and the cake smaller. I stood there until my mother calmed down. When she showed her face still wet with tears, no emotion could be seen. In fact, her face was emotionless and blank even when she walked me back to my room and tucked me in my bed. My questions had been left unanswered as well as my wishes for good nights._

_Days passed and my mother grew more and more distant, she made less and less meals so I had to search for food myself around the house and she didn't even want to see me in the eye anymore nor smile or talk to me. _

_I still searched with my eyes for my father and even though my mother didn't say anything about it, I couldn't help but question her. Questions left unanswered of course._

_The day of the funeral finally came, here again I didn't understood a thing until I heard other people's talk. "Isn't it horrible? He's leaving a housewife and a child behind." "Yes, I truly feel sorry for them. They were a nice and loving bunch. You should have seen them, a really perfect family." "Oh, I wish them good luck. A child at that young age, losing her father…"_

_The words they chose were of no offence but as I listening in to them I could no longer stay quiet. I turned towards my mother who was gripping my hand. "Mommy, the people are saying bad things about Daddy. They say that Daddy isn't going to come back. Mommy-"However, my words were cut off by a strong tug from my mother. Without saying anything she strongly pulled at my hand, leading us back home. _

_Again she refused to answer my questions until one day, something happened. As I stumbled into the kitchen I saw my mother crouched on the floor, crying again. When I touched her hand, she violently slapped my hand away and yelled at the same time those words that I hardly understood but got to understand after all. "Your father is gone; he's never going to come back because of you! If it weren't for your damn cake, he would still be with us, selfish child!"_

_Then I saw something pass before my eyes and before I knew it, my left cheek began to sting until the pain intensified and brought tears to my face. I realized just then that my mother had just slapped me. My parents had never hurt me before so at that time I was shocked and hurt but in no case angry. Even though she had slapped me, I knew that she hadn't done it with hate because she was crying._

_Soon after having slapped my cheek, my mother's eyes widened, bringing both her trembling hands together. "What have I done?" _

_She was about to hide her face with her hands when I softly touched her hands. "Mommy, please stop crying." After those words, my mother brought me against her chest. "How could I be so blind? Touko dear, please forgive me. I am a horrible mother. I should have seen that he wasn't completely gone. He left a part of him with me which continues to move on, on you. I'm so sorry." She continued to hold me while crying and apologizing at the same time._

_The next days, my mother transformed completely, she had reverted back to her old self. Smiling, cooking the delicious meals I so missed and above all she began to reply to my good nights as well as to my questions. Of course, she hid the details from me but replied so a child could understand._

_As I grew up I began to reflect upon the incident, and I also began to blame myself for my father's death although my mother always reassured me in saying that whatever happened wasn't my fault. Though, her words were of the most persuasive but I guess they weren't enough because I still feel guilty. I still remember the promise we made back then when she said, "This will stay secret between ourselves okay? Let's make a promise to never tell anyone about what happened to your father alright?" _

"That's all about my father's accident, at least the official version because everyone would say after hearing me out that it's normal to blame myself due to the fact that it was me who repeatedly asked for my cake but they don't know the truth why I stubbornly keep blaming myself." Touko clenched her fists as strongly as she could.

"_Now that the cat's out of the bag, I'll just have to keep hunting it down." _During her story, she had forgotten to check if Touya had been listening but even that didn't matter to her. Talking about all this now to someone else was slowly lifting a heavy burden on her heart.

She continued, trying to keep her voice at a calming pace. "What really killed my father then wasn't only the fact that he couldn't pull the brakes on time but his death had been caused by a particular object. Of course, my mother had hid that detail from me but as I grew up she feared that I would investigate further and learn it from someone else. What she had told me wasn't very pleasant indeed, and I came to know why she had kept it hidden all this time. The true version was that the day right before my birthday, my parents and I had been to a local park and while being there I had eventually brought my favorite toy with me. When we came back I had forgotten to bring the toy back with me which proved to be fatal. While driving back from the bakery he had hit the road at a slow pace but when the moment came in when the car had drifted of the road, my father's reaction was naturally to put on the brakes but it never came to it due to something that got stuck between the brakes and my father's foot. That's right, that object was the very same toy that I had forgotten the day before and because of it, the car couldn't be stopped."

She had clenched her fists so hard that her fingernails had begun to draw blood from her palms, nevertheless she continued, her voice shaking but still trying to keep her tears at bay. "Can you imagine it? Due to a damn toy that I forgot, my father had to pay the price. Sometimes I wish I knew what my father had thought in seeing the toy blocking of his only issue to safe himself. Did he think of me of the one killing him by having forgotten such a simple thing? Did he despise me, hate me or not at all?"

Tears had started to form on the corner of her eyes without her consent when suddenly a pair of hands clutched hers who had been lying on her lap. She looked startled for a moment until noticing that Touya was looking at her with his eyes even sadder than before. It seemed that in telling him of her story she worsened his condition, she even began to feel guilty for dropping of this burden in this situation. _"What am I doing? It's not my father who's going to be buried again, it's still about his mother yet I…"_

Touko took a deep breath and suddenly got up, clenching a determined fist and when she turned around to him, she had wiped off her unshed tears from her eyes and gave out a smile. "You know, I forgot the reason why I actually told you this story to begin with but I guess I don't really need it anymore. Even though I have that huge reason to blame myself for what happened to my father, I think that as long as I can't forgive myself first, I won't be able to move on. Nevertheless, I truly believe that you hold no reason for your mother's accident if you should think so. There are always people with far more worse burdens upon their shoulders. And should you really keep blaming yourself just like I do then someday you'll drown in the darkness in which your heart would decide to lean on. The result would be that you'll be unable to stand back up on your own two feet ever again."

The words kept spreading out of her mouth and although she kept rambling on, Touya had stayed attentive to her speech. With one last breath intake Touko finished her monologue. "Talking about this really lifted my heart for a moment and although people tell me that I can move on, I still think that it would be rude. I mean, blaming myself means that I honestly cared for my father because if I hadn't, it would have looked like I didn't care about my father at all."

Touya slowly stood up, seemingly waiting for Touko to take the lead. After showing him a last smile, Touko began to walk towards the door, relieved when she saw him following behind. _"Just like a little child."_ Touko quietly giggled one last time before putting on a serious face, remembering the place they were heading to.

The church's bells were ringing their beautiful yet melancholic music while the wind carried the brown colored autumn leaves through the air. The weather was rather pleasant as the sun shone down its mild heat. And if this had been a different situation, one could even say that a beautiful day was on its way.

The priest chanted his words through the crowd of people that had gathered together for Natasha's burial. Although the bells were drowning out most of his words, everyone, dressed exclusively in black, had their heads bended downwards in respect. Some quietly whispered prayers to themselves, while others kept their lips sealed in silence.

Touya had quietly stood beside her, clenching his fist now and then at certain points of the priest's words and at some point Touko had reached out for his hand, squeezing it now and then to reassure him. His hand had twitched at her touch; however he hadn't pulled away but only returned her squeezes. Here again Touko had hid their hands behind her back, not wanting anyone to see. Her mother as well as Richard had clung to one another with Richard supporting her when her tears didn't want to give her a rest.

After the burial, everyone scattered for the final gathering at the Summer's mansion for the reception. While Richard had started to head to the cemetery's exit, Touko's mother suddenly stopped her daughter. "Touko, do you mind going to visit your father?" Touko's eyes widened in surprise for a moment then they softened as she nodded, saying she had thought of doing so too.

Richard had heard their conversation and decided to go beforehand with Touya as someone had to greet the guests.

Touko's father's grave wasn't that far away but was lying in a separate part of the cemetery. While Natasha had been buried in a place which the Summers' family owned and where every Summers' deceased family member was buried, Touko's father had been buried in the regular part. Apparently, although Natasha had, after the divorce with Richard, reverted her name back to her maiden name "Bellevue", Richard had insisted in burying her in the Summers' territory which got argued over by Natasha's parents but they reluctantly accepted due to Richard's constant persistence. He had kept on saying that even though they were divorced, he had and still will consider Natasha as a Summers family member.

Both women finally arrived in front of Touko's father's tombstone and kneeled down, putting their palms together in praying mode. They were both silent with only the sound of the rustling leaves accompanying them when suddenly Touko spoke up. "Mom, I'm sorry. I broke our promise." Right after having spoken out her words, Touko had caught out of the corner of her eye how her mother's shoulder's had twitched at her last sentence.

Touko closed her eyes as she braced herself for her mother's reaction that was about to come. Of course, she didn't think that her mother would yell at her but she couldn't think of what her mother might do either.

Her mother gave out a quiet sigh and Touko felt her fingers curl around her chin to turn it towards her. Touko opened her eyes, only to find her mother's saddened eyes and suddenly regret was making its way through her stomach. "Touko do you know why I insisted on doing that promise in the first place?" Her voice was soft and low and Touko sensed no anger coming out which gave her a sense of relief.

Right, why was that promise even made to begin with? _"True, I never even asked myself for the reason."_ Touko shook her head and her mother spoke up again. "Who did you tell it to?" "Touya." Touko replied without hesitation as her mother returned her gaze with a meaningful look. "Well, I knew it couldn't have been anyone else." She giggled one last time before putting one of her rare serious faces.

When she spoke again, her voice had become shaky. "Touko, when we made that promise, I really hoped you would never tell the real version of what happened that day. I had noticed that the more you grew up, the more the guilt you felt for your father's death grew. Though I really had tried to make you forget about that day, you still insisted in remembering it and even wanting to know more. Actually the real reason why I made that promise was because I wanted to be the one to tell the people what really happened that day if it was needed. I was scared that people, if they happened to know the truth, would openly blame you for it and if they did I wanted to be the one to deny everything even if I had to take all the blame to myself. Everything I wanted was to keep you from harm's way and from people who would psychologically try to hurt you."

She paused only to cup both of Touko's cheeks with her hands, looking deeply into her eyes, then she continued, her words barely a whisper. "I trust Touya and I believe that he isn't capable to blame someone, even more after what happened to his mother. I also trust Richard although I still haven't told him the truth and I don't see the need to either. We are already happy like this but promise me this, if one day you feel the need to tell it to yet somebody again, please call me. I'll be the one telling every ounce of truth behind so that you won't have to relive that day even if those people will turn out to be your own children."

Tears sprung to Touko's eyes. How could she not have seen that her mother was still protecting her all this time? While telling the truth she would have to be the one to relive that day where she lost her husband, another day where she began to mistreat her child and all those other moments where she had to lie to people about the fact that it had been a toy who caused the actual accident to be unavoidable. Finally, she would have to remember how hard she had begged the police as well as the newspapers to keep quiet about the truth while telling that it had been just a vulgar skid.

They rested in each other's arms for a moment with Touko apologizing as well as thanking her mother before Touko's mother finally let go. "Shall we go home for today?" Touko nodded and they both bowed one last time towards the tombstone.

After a while of walking, Touko asked the question which had been bugging her for a while. "Say mom, are you really not going to tell anything to Richard?" Her mother looked at her with a puzzled look before replying back with a teasing tone. "Do you want me to tell him?" It was not like she wanted him to know although she knew that Richard was not the type to pry into things but because Richard was going to marry her mother, shouldn't there be any secrets between married couples? It seems like her mother had noticed her Touko's perplexed face because she answered soon after.

"Well, I think he doesn't need to know, right?" Her mother giggled joined soon after by Touko but once they arrived in front of the mansion, they put on serious faces again, forgetting that they had to experience yet again a morose atmosphere.

The atmosphere in the Summer's mansion was indeed morose as everyone stood together in little groups, some only eating and drinking silently and others talking about Natasha.

Upon entering the living room, Touko had spotted Touya sitting on the couch, looking absentmindedly at nothing in particular and avoiding any conversation by ignoring talkative approaching people. She decided to sit down next to him and keep quiet as she knew he wouldn't answer her if she had said something anyway.

Time passed and conversations about today's event never ceased until Touko heard nearby people talking about the reason for Natasha's accident. "_Right, the police had reported the situation back to the family a few days ago." _They had said that their first thought had been that Natasha had maybe committed suicide by driving her car out of her own free will down the bridge but later, due to the family's and friends' testimonials and concrete evidence, it came out that it had been another unfortunate accident.

In most conversations among different people, the name of Touya's mother was mentioned every now and then. Touko had feared that Touya would suddenly feel fed up with it and storm out of the room, however, he stayed put. Maybe he didn't react because it would be seen as bad behavior to hide away while family was visiting or maybe he just grew accustomed to the talks and openly ignored them. The fact that he seemed to be so unfazed by his surroundings made Touko worry even more about what he could be thinking of while lazily propping his head on his hands.

Feeling thirsty, Touko slowly walked to the kitchen where the servants, who had been hired for the occasion, were rushing in and out of but not before having told her intentions to Touya who had only given her a nod. While she was walking out of the kitchen she heard the sound of the doorbell ring and as no one seemed to have heard it, she decided to open the entrance door herself.

Upon opening it, a face she didn't recognize met her eyes. The face belonged to a young man in a fine black suit and red tie who was watching her with a slight confused face before finally opening his mouth. "Excuse me but am I currently staying before the Summer's residence?" He smoothly let his words roll down his tongue in a very courtly manner and gave out a chuckle when he noticed that Touko continually kept her mouth wide open. "Young lady?" His call broke her out of her reverie as her cheeks began to color in a very unattractive way. "Ah, sorry. Yes, you're right. This is the Summers mansion." She noticed she had answered very quickly but by the relaxed expression the young man gave her, showed that had understood.

"Then can I assume that your name is Touko?" Touko's eyes widened at his question. It wasn't a secret that she and her mother were living in the Summers family nor that her mother was going to marry one of the wealthiest men around but it still surprised her to be called out by her name when walking down the streets. It was mostly people only calling out greetings but Richard warned her that she should always stay alert for suspicious people who would try to kidnap people in wealthy neighborhoods only to claim a ransom for a person's return. The man before her had nothing suspicious surrounding him, nor did she see a car nearby so she could only assume that he could be a family member or a journalist though the latter could be excluded because contrary to what most people think, the journalists in Unova aren't always preying around for selling material so most celebrities are left undisturbed by them.

Suddenly the interest she had initially developed for the young man completely vanished in thinking he might be a family member. _"I already feel overwhelmed at being asked all kinds of questions by strangers who are supposedly going to be "family" so I don't need more of them circling around me. I'll just let him in and escape his sight as soon as he'll turn his back on me." _Having created an elaborated plan on her head, she proceeded in nodding to his question but before she could open her mouth again, he had already beaten her to it.

"I know this might be a little forward of me but could I ask for a favor of yours?" Upon hearing his question Touko oddly didn't grow surprised at all. _"Recently everyone just wants to ask favors out of me."_ Here again she was about to ask what kind of favor it might be when the young man opened up his vest to retrieve a CD out of his pocket. Throwing it out in front of Touko and using the so smooth words of his he said, "If possible, I would really appreciate it if you could give this to Touya. It's something his mother wanted him to have." "Touya's mother?" She didn't hesitate in taking the CD from his hands and quickly pressing it against her chest.

"Thank you very much. Well then, it's time for me to go. Farwell." He was about to leave when Touko stopped him. "W-wait!" All this time, he was the one asking questions while Touko only answered. _"Plus, I don't even know who he is."_ He stopped in his tracks and turned around, his head tilted to the side. "Yes?"

Breathing in some new fresh air she asked, "You know my name but I don't even know yours." His eyes widened for a moment, as if he wasn't waiting for her to ask his name but soon softened up. He elegantly bowed while starting to introduce himself. "I apologize for my rudeness. My name is Brenan Bellevue, Natasha's younger brother which makes me Touya's uncle I might guess."

Touko's heart completely stopped beating for a second. Was she really in front of Touya's mother's brother? At her next words, she stumbled on her words while trying to get more information. "A-Are you really Touya's uncle?" She wanted to face palm herself for asking such an obvious question, even more if the man himself had introduced himself as such a little earlier but she needed to hear it from him again to be completely sure she had heard right.

The young man, known as Brenan, silently smiled bearing no intention in wanting to tease her. "Yes, we do have the same mother and father so I can assure you that I am really his uncle. I was at the cemetery for Natasha's burial but I had stayed back in the shadows because I did not want anyone to suddenly recognize me as Touya is still unaware of my existence. Honestly, the reason why I came in the first place was because Natasha had told me before coming here that if Touya did not want to see her, she would give him this CD which holds all the answers to the questions he might have had all these years."

Suddenly he started to talk without Touko even asking for him to but she intently listened in to what he was telling. "I know fully well that they might not have a high opinion of Natasha, saying she went to different men only to divorce later on and leave them with a child but one thing I know for sure is that the first marriage was indeed an "accident" or whatever one would like to call it. But with Richard it was different; I can assure you of that. Anyway, I should really be going, thank you for having listened to me." Before Brenan could actually say goodbye, Touko asked one last question.

"Uhm, Mr Brenan? Aren't you ever going to meet Touya? I mean, he does have the right to know that he still has an uncle in the Bellevue family." She was hesitant in her question but having seen Touya like she had was truly heartbreaking, not only to her but to anyone who cared about him too.

Brenan only smiled again. "Just call me Brenan please. And yes, of course, some day I will present myself in front of Touya as his uncle but I do not think today is a good occasion due to it being Natasha's burial. But one day, I will be there for him whether he would like to know about Natasha's younger years or not. Whatever he will ask I will be there to answer." After his last words, he slowly walked towards her and pulled her into a soft hug.

Touko felt her heart starting to gain speed although she knew that despite his looks, this man was much older than her. "Forgive me for this impulse I felt that led me to do this but when I look into your eyes I can see honesty like I have never seen before. Plus, I can also see how you care for Touya and all I ask is for you to keep my existence a secret to him until the day I will be able to reveal myself to him. Soon we will be family too as well so do not hesitate to seek me out if something happens alright?"

He let her go waiting for her response which she had hurried to give with a nod. After giving her his number, he walked away, only turning around to wave to her one last time before completely disappearing behind the portal. Touko gave out a sigh while walking back into the mansion. _"Well, I really learned some new things today but…"_ It was clearly something she had been wondering about ever since Brenan mentioned it. _"If Natasha was married before, does it mean she even had a child? If yes, does it also mean that Touya maybe has a stepbrother?"_ Somehow, she had trouble believing that there really might be another Touya-like person roaming around or someone completely different from Touya who knows? Everything she could do now was showing Touya the CD that she still held clutched to her chest.

"_That is if I can find him."_ When she had returned to the couch, Touya had disappeared and Touko began to ask random people if they had seen him. One person she had stumbled upon said that he saw Touya going upstairs and after a few moments, he came down wearing a blue jacket and went out the entrance door. _"So while I was searching for him, he just went out huh?"_

It would be a lie to say that she didn't want to run out through that door and search for him because as she had been about to do it, she stopped herself with her hand on the handle. _"I think I should let him go think by himself. I'm sure he already has a lot to think about."_ Was that a mistake?

-x-x-x-x-

"_What should I do to keep my head safe of any blame? Am I really guilty in all this?" _Touya was wandering around town, walking on the pavement next to the road where cars drove by without a care in the world. He felt as if a hand was crushing his heart a little harder every time he breathed in. Was there really someone as unlucky as he was? He was finally able to gather up the courage to put aside the fact of his mother having abandoned him and seek answers out of her but just as he was about to meet her, she has a fatal accident.

He suddenly stopped, holding his hands to his head. _"I want to scream so badly right now!"_ But he retrained himself, feeling tears prickling on the corners of his eyes until the feeling of guilt stubbornly returned to kick on his gut. He was about to blame himself again when **her** words rang on his head.

"_Nevertheless, I truly believe that you hold no reason for your mother's accident if you should think so. There are always people with far more worse burdens upon their shoulders. And should you really keep blaming yourself just like I do then someday you'll drown in the darkness in which your heart has decided to lean on. The result would be that you'll be unable to stand back up on your own two feet ever again."_

For a little second, his mouth had curled up into a smile but sadly he forgot to look what he was walking on or even that he had started walking for that matter. It happened in a matter of seconds, the car was rushing towards him, the tires shrieking on the road as it desperately tried to put the car on stop but everybody knew it was too late.

His body had stood frozen in the middle of the road and he asked himself why don't people in these situations move? Well, it's simple, why doesn't the deer caught in the headlights flee away? We are exactly like deer, because we don't know what is about to befall on us and because of the fear caused by this ignorance of what is suddenly happening we stand there, unable to make a move.

It isn't true what they say. People don't see their lives dash before their eyes in such a situation, no, this comes just way later. They see their regrets and the wrongs they did and after that they think that maybe it isn't so bad to be gone.

Touya just had the time to close his eyes when his body made impact with the car. Returned to the ground, he knew that recklessly moving would result in nothing because he could already feel that most of his bones are damaged or even worse, broken. It hurt; it hurt like hell although a part of him felt at peace. His lungs struggled to catch every ounce of oxygen particle floating around while Touya's eyes grew, with every breath, heavier and heavier.

The last things he could see was a lot of pairs of shoes as well as a dark red fluid gushing out from somewhere and it didn't last long for him to understand what it was. He was severely bleeding and maybe his time was already counted. Finally, his eyelids closed, his consciousness fading away.

Some distant voices could be heard, voices of the people most nearest to his heart.

"_Touya." "Marian…"_

"_Touya!" "Dad, I'm sorry…"_

"_Touya…" "Touko, I…"_

"_Touya…here." "Mom, wait…I'm coming…"_

_**Thump**_

And this was the last time he felt his heart beating. Someplace there was a phone ringing brining yet again, in a mansion where a recent misfortune had just come to an end, another misfortune who was just beginning.

* * *

><p>Do not fret, next chapter will not be so depressing...I think.. next chapter: Chapter 12: Remember me<p> 


	13. Chapter 12: Remember me

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon B&W**

**Chapter 12:** Remember me

It seemed as if time had stopped around Richard as his fingers, tightly clutching the phone began to tremble, his lips speaking out incoherent words while Marian slowly approached him, trying by any means to find out what could have made him act like that. Touko was observing them from the couch, frowning in confusion.

"Y-yes thank you." Richard's words had held a tone of genuine despair before hanging up the phone, refusing to turn around at Marian's inquisitive questions. "Richard dear, what happened?"

Touko approached them before calling out Richard's name, hoping she could take him out of his daze. After a little moment, Richard turned around visibly regaining his usual composure. "Touya, he…got struck by a car. He's already been admitted to the nearest hospital and luckily got into surgery in time." Relief washed over his face yet one could still see anxiety biting on the corners of his eyes. Touko's mother let out a surprised cry before slightly stumbling on her feet. Richard caught her in time, keeping a strong hold on her to keep her from falling.

Touko's mind became blank, devoid of any things other than Touya and how earlier she had given up the desire to go look for him. _"It happened again…"_ She was slowly starting to think that this was becoming something like a curse and that she was the cause of its beginning. She had indirectly caused her father's death by a vulgar plastic toy. And now, she could have avoided Touya's incident by having gone looking for him or at least try to but no, instead she had been relaxing on the couch, leisurely thinking about which ice she'd like to buy later on.

Luckily enough, everyone had since long gone home, avoiding the fact of them maybe having to comment on another "Summers" tragedy. She was slowly starting to feel the blame rushing up from her stomach into her heart when she crossed eyes with Richard. He gave her a curt smile, washing at that instant all the guilt she might have felt at that moment. With his free arm, he reached out towards her shoulders, hugging her tightly to him before deciding to finally drive to the hospital.

Upon their arrival at the pristine white hospital, a nurse that had seemingly been waiting for them, led the way deeper into the hospital to the far north wing. During their little journey through the numerous halls of rushing doctors and nurses, Richard had explained how, as a fervor financial donator of the hospital, four private rooms had been especially built for him and only to exclusively be used by the Summer's family members.

They stopped before a door from which a doctor with a severe expression had just come out of. Richard instantly rushed to him, no questions needed to be asked as the doctor began to open his mouth. "Mr. Summers, I suppose you have already been told about your son's condition?" He waited for Richard's confirmation which was given to him almost instantly before continuing. "He has sustained severe injuries but luckily his mental condition is stable. After a close inspection and several tests, we concluded that besides from the fact of having two broken but healable legs and minor scratches on his arms, his head struck the ground pretty violently and this leads now to the important part of the diagnose."

Touko's heart seemed to have stopped beating as she held her breath at the doctor's revelation. She held her hands together tightly to her chest as she felt a slight pressure on her shoulders which she found out to be her mother's hand slightly pressing now and then to reassure her.

The doctor opened his mouth again, three pairs of eyes directed at him. "I am afraid to tell you that he suffers from a severe concussion thus having led him to fall into coma. We sadly cannot determine if he'll be able to wake up any time soon, however I should also say that it is still too early to jump to conclusions, he could wake up at any moment for what we know. While I know you must be impatient to see him, I cannot let anyone enter his room at the moment. We are still performing some tests but we will tell you when it's over. Is that alright?" Richard nodded; briefly shaking the doctor's extended hand before taking everyone back home.

As soon as everyone passed through the entrance door, Richard stopped right at the doorway. "Richard dear, do go back. I know that over there is the only place you need and want to be right now so don't worry about us. We'll manage." Marian sent him a smile which he weakly returned.

"Alright, I'll be informing you about Touya's state if there are changes. It will all be fine." For some reason it had seemed as if his last words had been spoken more for him than for the two women who were now watching him taking off at a quick pace.

Touko sighed, not knowing what to do with herself as she helplessly stood there staring at a closed door and while it had gone through heavily detailed craftsmanship, it was only seen through her eyes as a plain wall blocking her from wherever she had wanted to go to. "Touko." Her mother calling her name was what brought her back to reality while she tried to form words in her mind to voice out her insecurities.

Before she could utter even one word, her mother had gently pulled her into a hug, whispering into her ear. "No one is to blame. Not you, not me, not Richard and neither is Natasha. Though why is it that we all put the blame on ourselves?" She had come up with an important question which no one had an answer to and she doubted anyone would ever find one. She couldn't remember how much time she and her mother had stayed like that but at some point it had grown incredibly dark and they still hadn't let go of each other.

Several weeks passed with Richard progressively telling them each day how Touya was doing, which test he took and even when finally he had woken up. He had still not been allowed to go see him but with help of his incredible persuasion attempts, the doctor finally let him see his son. The news weren't as good as the two woman waiting at home had expected since Touya had still been in a hazy state, unable to figure out what someone was asking out of him, mostly drifting in and out of sleep during the day. Strangely, Richard's constant messaging about Touya's state suddenly stopped leaving Touko and her mother perplexed and although they had tried to call Richard on his cell phone or at the hotel he had been staying to question him, he had only given evasive yet reassuring answers until one day he finally announced that Touya could finally have visits.

"Touko, could you go get the blue jacket Touya likes to wear in his room? I think he'll like to have his favorite jacket with him. Oh, I think I'll buy him his favorite chocolate on the way there too." Touko was silently watching her mother over enthusiastically pacing back and forth, gathering more and more items she thought Touya would be pleased to have with him. She had begun to suspiciously knitting her brows together when she saw that her mother had slowly but surely begun to pile up three bags of luggage.

"Mom, are you sure he needs that much? I mean, the doctor did say that he could come back home in less than two weeks." Her talk had fallen upon deaf ears as her mother suddenly disappeared into the kitchen singing to herself a song which talked about cakes. She was about to follow her mother but stopped in her tracks when she heard Pokemon names being alphabetically sung out. _"I guess she hadn't been a Pokemon trainer for nothing in her younger years, she knows them all by heart."_

Heaving a sigh, Touko walked back upstairs into Touya's room only to find out that the huge mess of clothes on the floor contained no blue jacket. It was only after a few more minutes of vain searching that she finally remembered that a guest had told her at the reception about having seen Touya wearing a blue jacket and going out the front door. _"So, he had it with him all this time…"_ With what seemed to be her hundredth sigh that day, she sat on the bed while looking at her surroundings. Everything in his room had been left untouched and although it didn't seem like a long time had passed, the thin layer of dust that had formed over time on the chest of drawers proved her otherwise. "It's been one month." With those words whispered out of her mouth, she let herself fall on her back, her eyes now contemplating the ceiling. The comfy bed sheets were warm, a familiar scent of cologne emanating from them and if she had been sleepy she was sure she could have wandered into the world of dreams right then and there but a strange feeling was kicking into her gut. She wondered why she felt so anxious when she should be happy to finally be able to visit Touya. However, as much as she had tried to keep calm, the anxiety she felt only grew when she finally stepped into the hospital.

Richard had already been waiting for them at the entrance, a tired smile showing up at the sight of the two women. Without further ado, he led the way towards Touya's room but instantly stopped, turning around to face Touko and her mother with an expression of utmost seriousness drawn on his face.

"I know I should have told you this the moment the doctor told me about it but I didn't want to let you two worry about something that was said to be temporary but now…" Noticing his perplexed expression, Marian patted his shoulder and while peering into his face she softly although a tiny bit forcefully said, "We know it was hard for you but we are worried too. What happened?"

Richard hesitated for a moment before slowly beginning to explain. "The moment Touya woke up, the doctor found it only normal for him to be confused but when the time came for me to visit him and I got to finally meet him eye to eye, Touya didn't recognize me. I thought it was because he had still been confused at that time but as time flew by the doctor diagnosed him with amnesia although minor since Touya remembered me two days later. He couldn't remember certain people and events I talked to him about but I was happy that he at least remembered me so fast."

Touko stood rooted to the spot, flinching at the word "amnesia" being spoken about so nonchalantly as Marian uttered out a question. "Amnesia…Did you talk to him about us?"

"I did although I didn't go into too many details about it. The doctor told me to be as vague as possible so that Touya could strive to think of them by himself, supposing it to be good exercise for people diagnosed with amnesia. He also told me that you should not try to make him remember and take everything with a smile when he appears to be confused. Still, I want to believe that he will remember you at first glance." He brought Marian close for an embrace while patting Touko softly on her head and although her body was trembling like the last leaf on a branch in dire winter, she still mustered her courage to conceal her restlessness.

Richard finally opened the door, revealing a pristine white room which enormous size didn't surprise Touko at all since she remembered it to be under the all ever so wealthy Summers family name. Touya was lying on his bed, his eyes directed towards the window and one leg still wrapped into a cast while the other seemed to do well.

At the sight of him, Touko quickly hid herself behind Richard, feeling as if her heart was being pulled with help of tight strings in all directions. Though she quickly regained her earlier composure, she still didn't feel to get out behind Richard. At the sight of the new visitors Touya's face uncharacteristically brightened. "Dad! What's new?" His mouth forming a grin he patted Richard who had walked to his side on the back.

"Touya, I came with two people who were very worried about you." Touko, now trying to hide herself as normally as possible behind her mother, noticed that Richard's words had been spoken out with upmost care, and interiorly flinched under Touya's gaze. After a little moment of silence Touya widened his eyes, shouting out his next words. "Marian! How've you been?"

Touko's mother, after a little hesitation, finally let her mouth run wild with smiles, relief washing over her face as Touya continued to reassure her that he had remembered her without having had to guess.

With each passing second and with no place to hide, Touko awkwardly stood there, her fingers fidgeting nervously about, waiting for his reaction when his eyes would finally meet hers.

When her mother had finally ceased to squeeze Touya to death with her hugs, she finally stepped back to let Touya have a clear look at her daughter which he immediately did. Touko could feel her pulse erratically beating in her veins while Touya scanned her every feature with his eyes. Suddenly, he let out a quiet sigh, letting his eyes fall downcast as he murmured, "Hmm, I can't seem to remember. Somehow, nothing comes up when I see you." With an apologetic smile thrown innocently at her, he began to profusely furrow his brows in confusion, looking at his father for help.

A heavy blow had descended upon her heart at his words and the shock had been so great that she had completely stopped moving and even breathing for that matter. Each member of her body that had previously been shaking stopped all activity at once.

Seeing his confused son eying him for help, Richard tapped him on the back with a smile. "Don't worry boy, I'm sure you still need time to fully recover so it's only understandable how some things can still remain hazy in you mind. She's Marian's daughter and your soon to be sister but here again, take your time to remember." Richard carefully uttered his words so as not to bewilder Touya any further.

Marian worriedly peered at Touko's face, stroking her back in a circle motion as Touko, still fazed by what had been said, silently whispered to her mother. "Why you and not me?" She had by no means meant it as an accusatory question but before her mother could open her mouth, she swiftly threw her hand up into a farewell sign while loudly declaring, "Well, I think we should let Touya rest and seen as I promised to meet up with someone, I'll be leaving. Take care."

It had been incredible how she had suddenly brightened her expression and smiled like no bomb had ever fallen through the sky while taking for aim her heart. After her loud declaration, she dashed out of the room, ignoring her mother's calls. The corners of her eyes had already begun to sting back at the hospital room but she had held them back. She was never the type to neither break down in tears nor look weak in front of many people at once even more if they were family but now that she had reached the nearby park, she felt the corners of her eyes stinging with pain. She leaned against a nearby tree as she let her body slowly slide down the trunk onto the ground and as she heard a chirp of a bird above her head; her tears took form and gushed out uncontrollably down her cheeks.

She felt pathetic somehow and while she knew that crying wouldn't do much; her tears didn't seem to stop. They did stop after a few minutes, leaving only the sound of the last autumnal leaves rustling from the mild breeze and the chirping of the bird which had still not left the branch it had been sitting on right above her head. She took the time to finally think more throughout about the whole situation. Putting her heartache aside, there was still a chance for Touya to recover his memory and remember her but the reason why she felt so miserable was the fact of having been the only one who Touya didn't remember.

Suddenly a realization came to mind. _"What if he never gets his memories about me back?"_ She was about to feel even more miserable since she had just accepted a fact she had been denying for so long but she furiously shook her head and while clenching her fist with renewed determination she stated, "_I'll just have to make him remember me again."_

During the next days Touko did exactly what she had said she would. Every day she would visit Touya and while the first time they had still awkwardly fixed each other in the eyes and rarely brought up a conversation, the following days the awkwardness had gradually lifted. They talked about random things such as what each of them liked to do or eat and with each passing day Touko felt closer to Touya than she had been in the past. Of course, she had kept some things under white sheets. The Touya she came to visit every day was certainly different than the one she had known since day one. His personality was brighter and he didn't tease her nor did he show his so famous "devilish smile". All those things that had happened between them, be it conversations, confidences or any physical contact held a special place in her heart and speaking of them would only make them lose their special meaning. What good would it do to talk about them if Touya himself wouldn't be able to remember what he had felt or thought about during those moments?

Marian and Richard also came to visit Touya every day but they seldom stayed for more than 3 hours since Richard was needed at work and Marian had her daily "Former Women Pokemon Trainer Club" reunions where she would talk with other women about their adventures when they were still young Pokemon trainers.

She came to visit Touya again today and as always she was greeted with a smile the moment she passed through the door. "So, three more days and I'm outta here." He happily exclaimed while Touko took a seat at her usual place on a chair beside Touya's bed. Touko smiled back at him, trying to hide her uneasiness about the fact that he had still not remembered any detail whatsoever about her. Her heart had sunk each time she left the hospital when she figured that she hadn't made any progress in trying to help Touya remember her.

As usual, she stood up to prepare some tea which she hadn't imagine to be possible to do. Since the room was twice as big as her own room back at the Summers mansion, it contained more than just a TV and private bathroom. In one corner of the room was a refrigerator standing next to an oven and a sink. Plus, several cabinets which contained food, tea leaves and anything one might need in a kitchen were spread about the room, making the hospital room look like a one room apartment.

Touko was busying herself with the tea making when Touya suddenly spoke up, surprising her in the process. "Why do you still keep on visiting me?" His words had been spoken rather harshly almost annoyingly and her hands stopped working. She stood still for a second, thinking if it might have only been her imagination since Touya always kept quiet during her tea making and would answer or ask questions with a gentle voice.

She finally turned around, only to flinch under Touya's hardened gaze. Despite her being a few feet away from him in this huge room, she could feel her whole body freeze under his cold stare which seemed to be impatiently waiting for an answer.

Unconsciously taking a few steps in his direction she began to give out an answer. "U-um what do you mean? If I'm your way, you should say so." Touya had never uttered a complaint nor asked for the reason of her visits until now so why was he asking her such an odd question with such cold eyes?

Touya just sighed as if he had heard something stupid before lazily getting up. His legs were completely healed by now so there was no reason to not let Touya roam freely about the room. His arms were devoid of any injury apart from a few scars left and overall he seemed to be in full health but the doctor, not wanting to take risks, had decided that it was best to keep him a few more days. He was slowly walking towards her, stopping at a safe distance.

He let out another annoyed sigh before speaking up. "I'm tired of this. I've been lying to everyone. I remember everything, including you." A familiar boulder she knew as being called "hurt" came falling down upon her heart. Through her widened eyes, she steadily looked back at Touya who wore the more serious expression she had ever seen him wearing. He was telling the truth no doubt. _"He was lying?"_

All sorts of rebukes came flying through her mind but not one found the way out of her lips until she finally decided on the simplest question. "Why?" It had been a barely audible murmur of sound but she held her gaze towards Touya steady. "Oh you don't know? Why, have you forgotten all those times you wished that your mother wouldn't marry so that you wouldn't have to bear with me? All those times you glared at me with your eyes crying at me how hateful and filthy I am? Don't lie to me about it not being true. I'm hateful aren't I?"

The more he talked about himself, the more she had wanted to slap herself right across the face. It had been true that there had been a time that she had found him completely annoying and obnoxious but how could he still say that after all that they went through these last two months? They had shared things she hadn't shared with anyone ever before and she thought he had seen the bond they had been forming. _"But I guess it was just me…"_

She mustered her courage to retort back and although her voice was shaking, she kept on talking. "So what? Are you telling me that all I've done is to keep on hating you? Was my support and growing interest for you not visible enough?"

Touya narrowed his eyes while closing the distance between them. "You call that support? Isn't it rather pity? Poor little Touya who lost his mother, is that it?" His voice gradually grew louder as he spoke making Touko flinch in surprise at every word that rolled down his tongue. Although he wore a frightful expression, Touko felt anger boil up in her body, forgetting the piercing gaze which seemed to freeze every being it encountered.

"How could you? If it were mere pity would I really have come here everyday with a smile facing the man which had claimed to have forgotten me? Were it really pity then I would have had already abandoned since day one!" She heard a loud thud and she closed her eyes at the pain she felt on her back. Opening her eyes, she noticed that Touya had just pushed her back into the wall now turning her around, her face now mere inches from the white wall as she wondered how the room seemed so small to her now. Before she could move away she felt two strong arms on each side of her head and she felt Touya's body pressing up against her back.

"She wanted to shout out words at him but her mouth stayed sewed, all of her blood seeming to rush up on her face while her heart began to beat widely against her chest. _"Why now of all times, stupid feelings!"_

"Hate me." His words surprised her as she felt her heart rate finally calming down. She didn't know if she should answer or keep quiet but her bashfulness suddenly got the best of her. "Why should I hate you Touya? Shouldn't I be helping you?" It had seemed to be the wrong answer as she felt a hurtful sting on the back of her shoulder, realizing that Touya had just bitten her skin accompanied by more hurtful words. "I'm tainted with sins no one could understand. No one can help me, so hate me already! Or…should I make you hate me?"

Despite his threatening words, she stood her ground. "I won't." She felt another sting of pain on the nape of her neck more fierce than the one that he had given her on the shoulder. His hands slowly traveled down her body, settling one around her waist, while the other held her chin up.

"You give me no choice." And with those words, he fiercely bit the side of her neck, holding her back in place by the waist as her body sprung up at the pain. In normal circumstances, she would have enjoyed this since it had send her body warm waves of pleasure but the pleasure soon stopped at his recent action. Through his bite she had felt irritation, self depreciation, guilt, so much more feelings that lacked warmth and love. His hands were stone cold on her body and she finally struggled against his grasp. "Struggle all you want, I will make you hate me by all means."

Another sharp pain but this time it was on her earlobe and she had gritted her teeth to not let her cry escape but the more she felt he might really want to hurt her, the more the idea of starting to hate him faded. How could she even? He was the man she had fallen in love with.

Touya had shown no sign to stop when Touko finally elbowed his gut, sending Touya stumbling a few feet back. Turning around she fiercely slapped him across the face, sending him fly to the ground in surprise.

"How could I ever hate you when I love you this much you idiot!" His widened eyes from both the surprise of having been send onto the ground and her declaration, made Touko regret her actions. She had just said the famous forbidden words she had kept on denying to herself for such a long time.

The two teens stood shocked, looking at each other in surprise when Touko's legs finally made a run for the door, leaving Touya by himself.

"_Stupid, stupid, stupid."_ She repeatedly cursed herself in her mind, trying to figure out how she could have let those words escape her lips. _"It's because he was being so stubborn. What do I do know?" _

Leaning against a tree back at the Summers' mansion garden, she thought about what happened in the hospital room with Touya. She had spent several minutes pacing around the bushes of roses and sometimes taking out Zekrom for a walk only to forget about the incident but it sadly always came biting back. She knew that once Touya was back at the mansion he would most in the probably demand an explanation and although she should be afraid of his reaction regarding her slap, she was more worried about his reply to her confession. _"I'm so doomed."_

Zekrom puffed out his nostrils, sending a strong gust of wind into Touko's face as he peered at it. Touko gave out a surprised cry before glaring back at her favorite Pokemon. "I know you want to cheer me up but if only you could turn back time…" She sighed for what seemed to be the hundredth time that day, Zekrom miming her and trying to figure out a way to get her attention.

They stood there in silence for a few minutes until Touko finally spoke up, stroking Zekrom's strong back. "You know, love is a complicated thing even more if you know nothing about it but one thing is for sure, it won't get me down no matter what reaction or answer I might get but for now let me just be a coward and give me time." Although the words she had uttered had made Zekrom a tad confused, Touko, on the contrary, nodded at him with renewed resoluteness, a smile playing on her lips. Figuring his master was happy; Zekrom gave out a scream of joy nearly sending out an earthquake in the process.

Three days passed by quickly and Touya was finally able to go home. Richard had suggested they'd go all three as family to his hospital discharge and even though all she wanted was to avoid any contact whatsoever with Touya, Touko still agreed to it to keep all possible suspicion under locks. She had indeed been asked by her mother and by Richard why she suddenly stopped her hospital visits when she had been so adamant about visiting Touya everyday before but she deflected their question by bringing up a simple excuse. While they didn't ask for further details, her mother still had sent her a worried look but expressed none of her doubts.

The ride back home had been rather awkward with Richard and Marian enthusiastically chatting back and forth in the front while Touya and Touko were sitting next to each other in the back seats. Though the silence had been overwhelming neither one of them spoke a word nor did they try to –only ridiculously staring ahead or out the window.

Arrived at home, the two teens shut themselves in their respective rooms to only walk out of it when Marian called for dinner. Every time Touko crossed ways with Touya -which was always unavoidable seen as their rooms laid across each other- she would avert her gaze as quickly as possible and although all she wanted was to forget about what she had let her lips speak out without her mind's consent, she couldn't help but miss the times where they would act normally around each other.

-x-x-x-x-

"_But that was before all this mess started."_ She was back into that room which wallpapers still stayed unchanged -oddly painted with huge pink heart patterns.

Blue eyes widened in surprise as well as delight sparkling before her face, a slight feeling of regret filling her gut as she heard the following words being overdramatically stated. "I always knew you would fall in love with him. He is the Devilish Lover after all. If I were to be completely honest with you, if I wouldn't have my cherry pie I would surely have fallen in love with him too."

Touko sighed, pulling on Bianca's arm to force her to sit down on the couch. "Bianca, I think you're drifting away from the problem at hand. Don't you see that it's wrong?"

Bianca glanced at her with narrowed eyes. "Oh so it's wrong to love someone with whom you're not tied by blood? The way I see it is you don't have the courage to go through with this when Touya already makes the effort to try and talk to you."

As much as she would have liked to deny it, it was true. Somehow she hadn't gathered the courage to face Touya when he tried to approach her with clear intentions already shown on his face. It only started about a few days ago, approximately one week after Touya's hospital discharge, Touya had begun to approach her but Touko ignored him every time he had stopped in front of her, calling out to her when she turned her back on him. Cowardly attitude, might one say and she would definitely not deny it.

"Still, our parents are going to marry each other, making it so that we're bout to become family. I know that it might seem as romantic to you because it looks to be a forbidden love between two young people who are destined to become family but don't you forget that has a reputation as a ladies lover and he might very well reject me flat on." Touko had spurted out her insecure at Bianca who still had her eyes narrowed in doubt.

"So then what if he rejects you? At least you know there is another man whom you previously loved and who would welcome you with open arms right?" Touko looked back at Bianca which had spoken with an uncharacteristically tone of disinterest about the matter only to find her looking back with an unfazed expression.

"Are you suggesting that I would leap into the arms of another man -which I have once loved- only because the man I am in love right now doesn't want me? Bianca how come you would think about this?" She incredulously peered back at her blonde friend who answered her with the same disinterested face as before.

"Well isn't it true? Although you loved N, you still fell in love with Touya so wouldn't it work the other way around too?" A skeptical grin played about her lips as her words had reached an end, waiting for Touko to give out a retort which she gladly did.

"That's not true; of course I wouldn't do that! Touya is the only one I have ever loved this dee-. Wait, why are you giggling all of a sudden?" Bianca held her stomach as she wiped a tear out of her eye.

"Now that's what I wanted to hear! Until now all that I heard form you was how everything was impossible, forbidden or how you might get rejected but not how you really felt about it all and there it is." She sprung up form the couch taking Touko's hands in hers. "All that matters is that you love him and that's it. I understand that your situation is really delicate but even so would you rather continue ignoring Touya who seems to want to give you an answer or do you want to torment yourself further into not knowing what couldn't or could be?"

"How did you become such a mastermind? -Not that you weren't before mind you." Bianca smiled at her question slowly letting go of her hands. "I did nothing really; love just changes you -depending on the person you're with too of course. Now what are you going to do? If I remember it correctly you still have that strange disk his uncle gave you so shouldn't you give it to him?"

Touko tilted her head in confusion before finally remembering Brenan, who had introduced himself as being Touya's uncle and also given her a disk to which he added that it would most probably answer every question Touya might have had about his mother. Sensing Touko's hesitation, Bianca pressed on. "I understand that it may be hard on you to face him but I think that right now, handing him that disk is more important than your wavering feelings."

She knew Bianca was right and that there were no words she could come up with that could have been spoken against her sentence. With renewed resolution, Touko stood up, determination painted all over her face. "You're right; I'll give him the disk as soon as I come home." Bianca smiled, watching her friend leaving the room with the most serious face she had ever seen on her. "Yes, she'll be alright."

-x-x-x-x-

The moment she had stepped into the Summers mansion, she immediately went to her room to fetch the disk Touya's uncle had been so kind to give her. Walking over to her huge bookshelf filled with books fit for any rookie or even advanced Pokemon trainers leaving no left space for any others to be put into. She pulled out the disk she had put in between two books to avoid having it lost. Disk in hand, she was ready to face the devil and she started to take confident-full steps towards the hallway when her resolve suddenly faltered. Upon stepping out of her room she had bumped directly into Touya who had left his room at the same time.

Her heart rate immediately sped up as their eyes locked – with Touya's expression oddly being one of uneasiness. They stayed liked that, staring each other in the eyes when Touko, finally gaining the control of her body back, smacked the disk she had been so dearly holding in her hands against Touya's chest. Although surprised by her sudden action, Touya clumsily caught the disk to keep it from falling down to the ground and while he was distracted by it, Touko took the chance to hastily walk away. Before she could, however, take even two steps, she felt a hand pulling on her arm, leading her forcefully away to the hallway upstairs.

At first, she had tried to debate whether to try getting out of his grasp or simply let herself be dragged of to an unknown situation. _"It won't be the first time he's dragging me someplace I know nothing of."_ She sighed and with that thought she let Touya do as he pleased.

They were now walking through the hallway with the numerous pictures of Touya and his father hanging on the wall and the famous gym which could be seen through a glass wall to the left. A nostalgic feeling crept into Touko's heart as she remembered the first time she had come here, seeing for the first time Natasha's picture in the not-so-abandoned study she had found at the far end of the hallway.

An uncomfortable silence blew in the hallway as the only existing sound in the vicinity was that of their matching steps. _"Where the hell is he taking me_?" She was about to voice her thoughts but stopped when she noticed for the first time how his hand had been visibly trembling and how at times, he unpredictably squeezed or relaxed his hold on her hand without so much as a word.

She had wanted to look at his face, wanting to see the current expression he wore but sadly she had been walking behind him leaving her no choice but to look at his back which had first appeared as broad and strong before this but now only looked incredibly small.

Finally, they reached a room which Touya opened without delay, letting Touko's hand go as he briskly walked to the far end of the room. Still dazed from his hand having suddenly vanished from her grasp, she took a moment to recompose herself before looking at her surroundings. The pale orange colored lighting seemed to have been dimmed on purpose blending with the beige colored walls creating a perfect balance of serenity-like colors in the room. Obviously, since she found herself in front of a giant TV screen which could very well compete –and most certainly would win by a few feet- against a screen from a cinema.

A little ways away from the screen, she found two rows of three chairs in each of them, lined up next to each other. While giving no thoughts about the number of chairs being so small compared to the huge size of the room she continued to contemplate the room with her eyes. After a little while in Touya's absence she began to question Touya's behavior, why he had dragged her behind him and why his hands had been shaking. Then again, she began to hesitate regarding her presence in the room. It had been clear that Touya would most certainly watch the contents of the disk but would it even be alright to stay and watch it with him knowing that it would be about his mother?

However, before she could actually reach a conclusion Touya came back, the screen now showing a blank white background making Touko shrink her eyes at the sudden light invading her pupils, stinging her eyes more than it should due to her closeness to the screen. Without so much as a word or a glance towards her, Touya sat down on the middle chair in the front row, seeming to wait for something to happen. Touko waited for him to push the play button on his remote which he didn't seem to have the intention on doing any soon. She realized that she had been standing next to the chairs and decided to sit on a chair to the right in the second row, thinking it would be best to give him a little space.

As soon as she had comfortably settled in her nut-brown velour chair, Touya hit the play button, the screen finally getting rid of the hurtful white colored background. A heavy silence hung in the air as Touko anxiously waited for the screen to reveal anything else than the black it had been currently showing and after a little while, a woman's figure came to view, quite blurry at first before finally sharpening.

Touko gasped from both surprise and wonder. She had only seen two pictures of Natasha so far and in each one, she had been a beautiful and extremely gracious looking woman. Natasha wore a beige cream colored suit with matching pearl earrings and necklace. Her long brown wavy hair had been tied into a braid, her blue eyes eying the camera innocently as her bloody red lips twitched in sign of opening, ready to let out words which probably would let Touya know everything he had ever asked himself for years.

"I'm glad I finally got to turn this thing on, I was never one to understand much about technology that comes about these days and I'm sure you are probably laughing at me right now right?" She laughed her voice seeming to soothe anyone who would come to hear it.

She tore off her eyes from the screen to momentarily look at Touya. His fists were turned into balls as he anxiously listened to his mother. At one point she might have seen a tear rolling down his cheek but chose that it would be better to ignore it and returned her attention to the screen.

"Touya, you are probably upset –no, very upset by what I have done. I had promised to come back for you but never did and before I start on my explanation as to why I broke my promise I want you to know that whatever I might say may sound as a vulgar excuse but know that it is not. Everything I will tell you is the sole truth of what has been happening in my family and if you are watching this, it means that you have refused to see me. Oh, but it's alright, I do not blame you, rather, I understand why you would not want to see me but no matter, you are watching this –or at least I am hoping you are." Her eyes wavered as they moistened as if at any second tears would from down her rosy cheeks and looking at Touya, Touko noticed his eyes doing the same.

With a serious look, unbecoming of her beautiful innocent face, Natasha continued. "As you might maybe know, my maiden name is "Bellevue" and I am the chairman of a cosmetology company called the "Bellevue Beauty View". You might ask why I am telling you this. Well, since centuries my company was led by women chairmen because of certain reasons. One might be because most presidents and chairmen were men at the time the company was built and thus it had been decided that it would only be led by women. Never mind the other reasons, I would have to stay in front of the camera till tomorrow should I tell you every single one of them. This is where everything starts; I hope you will listen to the end."

She briefly closed her eyes as Touya softly sighed, still not tearing his eyes of his mother. Then opening up her eyes, she faced the camera with a gentle look, her lips almost itching to turn up a smile.

"Women in our family have always had a strong character making me question how on earth did the husbands deal with it. A good example would be my father, he always did as my mother told him, nodding his head while sometimes sighing away his happiness but never complaining. It is sad when I look back at it but when I saw how much my mother always carefully and lovingly nursed him back to health when he fell ill I quickly change my mind. Never a man of complaints but I sometimes wished he were. One day he fell ill but never looked it and never said word about it until some day, my mother found him on the floor, cold and lifeless. He had passed away before even knowing it would take him out at that instant…" There again a silence as she closed her eyes, probably trying to hide her want on shedding out tears despite her shaky voice having already given it away.

She resumed, trying to smile back at the camera. "That said, I might as well tell you about the rest of the family. My mother had wanted a girl to hand down her business to and luckily enough God gave it to her at the first try. Me, in fact. She sent me to a private school and had me take management, business and finance courses, everything so I could one day lead the company like all the other women in the family had done before me. About 7 years later, my brother was born –and yes, you heard right, you have an uncle named Brenan. I do not like to call it as such but these are my mother's words "That child was an accident; he was never supposed to be born". Although this might seem horrible to hear from his own mother, my brother kept his smile and optimism, maybe that is why I wanted to protect him so much –sisterly love right here." She laughed again, surprisingly so, getting a smile back from Touya.

Then she resumed. "It was clear that the company's chairman position would be given to me and although my brother could have been anything else he could have wished to be, he decided to take the same courses as me, managing to even get higher scores than I ever had. I thought he would want to take my chair and when I had asked him about it he answered me with a smile, saying, "Sister, for as much as I would love to be chairman, I love you even more than a simple chair and title therefore I wish to only be there to help you to the best of my abilities." Thus, I made him my right hand man as vice-president even though I had to plead my cause several months until my mother finally gave her accord."

Another pause as she prepared for her next words. "Business apart, I should maybe tell you about my love life. Because of issues I won't be naming due to the fact that it has always given me waves of displeasure, I got married. My first marriage had been done without my own accord, with a paper signed without my knowing the origin of and signed by my hand. Of course, I am the only one to blame seen as I had not given much thought about it when it had appeared on my desk. My mother rejoiced at the news–and later I found out it had all been my mother's doing since the beginning. I tried to love my husband but I was never able to. Everything I had felt had been sympathy and because of one careless night where wine had been, unfortunately, involved, I became pregnant with one baby boy. At that time I did not now if it had made me happy or not but here again, I only felt sympathy and even now I wonder why. Maybe it had been the harsh education that I had received from my mother, maybe it was simply the fact of me being incapable of feeling any love towards a child who was born from a mother which never learned how to love her own child or the fact about him coming from a loveless marriage. I wonder if I will meet him again someday. That child whose name still remains with me and the man who loved me dearly with no returned feelings, I think I forgot everything when I met…him."

Touko's mind grew blank in an instant. _"A brother? How come he isn't surprised?"_ She could have literally cried out in surprise had she been the only one in the room but what surprised her the most was Touya which had worn an expression of one having already known about the information even before it had been spoken of.

Natasha continued with her tale while Touko still shaken by the news, tried to listen what was being said next. "Richard, your father, changed my whole life with one glance. We met during a gala where every president of all important companies had been invited to. We fell in love as soon as our names were out of our mouths and our hands had come into contact for a handshake as greeting. Obviously, I had already divorced and left my former husband's house since long, even though it had been hard to convince my mother I got what I had wished for. Needless to say, my mother was not delighted with my desire of wanting to marry your father. Our companies had nothing in common and we would gain nothing more than more money in our pockets. My mother had been vehemently against it and I might add that she did not hide her discontentment at all while threatening me that she would take back the company from my hands. I refused to listen to her needs and wants and married of my own accord and as said, my mother took the company back. What did it matter? I was with the man I loved and desired, nothing else mattered and then you came to us. I was so happy, I loved you the instant I knew you existed in my belly. Oh, if I had only known what would happen, I would have done things differently.

One day, my mother called and I had been ready to hang up almost immediately when she suddenly informed me of my father's death. She was begging me to come back to help the company which, going by her sayings, was in crisis. I did return, promising you to come back but I never did, didn't I?" Touya leaned in, propping his arms on his knees as he waited for his mother's explanation.

"Truth is, I was never able to come back because I simply couldn't. When I thought I had stayed only for four days, it had been already four years. I forgot to control my actions and failed to realize that I had been so into my work that I had…completely forgotten you. It is still vivid in my memory how much my mother begged for me to stay when I said I had to go to you and just like an ape obediently following the scent of the bananas his master held, I did the same. Dedicating myself only to my work, unable to think of family and friends, trying to get back what my company had lost during my absence and for what? I lost you, a husband which I hadn't even remembered being divorced to or even having divorced for that matter and a brother which had vainly tried to warn me of my blindness and to which I had only replied "I'm busy"."

Natasha couldn't hold them back anymore and neither did Touya as the two of them let their tears run wild. Touko gulped, trying as hard as she might to be the only strong one in the room, biting her lip to hold her own tears back.

After a while, Natasha looked up, her eyes still red from her tears which didn't seem to stop flowing. "Touya, please, I do not want you to take all this as excuse because even I am ashamed about my actions. When I realized that it had been four years I had been so afraid of coming back to you and I know that my return was unexpected and completely out of line but still…I wanted to look at the grown up you, see you smile, laugh and be with you just to ruffle your hair and stroke your belly as I did when you were little. Hehe, maybe you would get mad at me for doing this when you are clearly fully grown but even your angry face would have been a lovely sight to see. Touya, I do not expect you to forgive me nor to accept the cowardice of your mother but if there is one thing I would like you to do is…to remember me. Remember this mother who loved you, abandoned you, who talked with you per camera although she took half an hour to get it started. Know always that I love you form the bottom of my heart.

…And if one day I should disappear from this earth before I get to see you, I am grateful to whoever might be concerned that I was able to talk to you like this now. What face are you making? A smiley face, an angry face? I wish I was there to know the answer. Well, I wish for you to live your life freely like I always wished for myself but never did.

From your mother with much love…Natasha."

The screen faded to black, leaving the room plunging into darkness. The only sound in the room was Touya's sobbing as he crouched in his seat. Touko tried to stand up, and although her legs were horribly shaking she walked in front of Touya's seat, hugging him as soon as she had reached a comfortable distance.

She felt her shirt slowly getting wet but couldn't care less as she tightened her hold around him. Everything that had happened to this point since his actions when he was still hospitalized was forgotten. She was crying as hard as he was, maybe even a little less but made sure to stay in that position, sometimes rocking his body gently back and forth.

Suddenly, she felt his hold on her tightening as he stood up without warning, making her stand up too. He held her head against his chest just like she had done just seconds ago. Her body froze in place as she remembered what had happened at the hospital and how his actions, intimate enough, had hurt her more than it had given her pleasure. However, as his fingers slowly came traveling into her hair while his other hand slowly came resting down upon the small of her back, her heart slowly started picking up a fast pace. His fingers were slowly stroking her hair as every stroke warmed up her body even more. His hold on her had been so comfortable that she could almost fall asleep were it not for Touya's sudden whisper in her ear.

"Everything I've done…Forgetting you, doing those horrible things to you and maybe even more things I didn't realize I had done and from which you might have suffered, I regret it. I no longer want to run away from my feelings. Everything I need now…is you." His words which lovingly came reaching into her ears did more than make her heart beat faster. At every moment, she awaited the fated "waking up from a dream" moment and she would most probably feel silly, shake her head a few times to disperse her thoughts and get back to sleep if possible.

She didn't know when she had finally realized it not being a dream but at some point she just did, believing it to be real even though she had hesitated quite a bit at first. Touko drew herself back a little bit, looking up into his eyes which were glistening like jewels in the sun due to him having cried and her mouth gave out a smile. "I love you, Touya." As brash as she was, there was no way she would have pulled those words out with all conscience thus leading her to quickly hide her face into his broad chest.

A long silence followed during which she started to regret her words. _"Damn it, why did my mouth have to let out these words without my consent again?" _She had tightly closed her eyes as her arms tightened around his waist, hoping to morph into bubbles and disappear from his sight.

She felt his arms around her slowly leaving and awaited the worst when his hands grabbed hold of her cheeks, his thumbs slowly stroking each of them. It was most probably –no, certain that her face had completely gone red from his touch and as she was about to open her eyes, she felt a soft touch on her lips. Hesitant, a little evasive at first just as if an angel's feather had just come down from the clouds to brush itself against her lips. _"He's… kissing me."_

Although it had only been for a second, she felt ashamed of herself when she realized she had wanted more but here again, before she could actually open her eyes this time, his lips came crashing down, more confident and fierce than the first. It had been all new to her, how lips lovingly brushed against lips, the moist warm sensation they left each time they withdrew it selves, the smacking sound of their lips as well as the heavy breathing which were the only music in the room. He certainly knew what he was doing most probably due to his long experience with women and she tried not to think about it and ever time his tongue came tracing her upper lip, it made her instantly forget any sort of rational thinking. Everything felt so new and magical that she had wanted for it to last forever when here again, one thought came crashing down on her mind. _"He didn't exactly apologize nor given the words I wanted to hear."_ A simple "I'm sorry" and an "I love you" she had always longed to hear would have been the words she wanted for him to utter but at the same time she knew why he didn't say them. _"It might need some time until he can voice his feelings."_

Nothing could be more wonderful than being in the arms of the one she loved however, Touko had yet to realize that unknown feeling that was about to creep back up on her chest.

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><p><em>Hey guys! Sorry for the delay -looong delay should I say? Well hope you enjoyed this chapter, thank you for the reviews, I really enjoy reading them as they help me to understand what you think of the story. Next chapter: Chapter 13: It ended as fast as it began. See you soon~<em>


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